Link to the Past
by XFeelXTheXLoveX
Summary: After being put against each other to kill, the five boys & co must come back together one last time to hatch the perfect plan to take down Priscilla, Maxwell & Harvey. In the last battle to make things right, will they come out on top or will everything they've ever worked for up until this moment have all been for nothing?
1. Going Insane

**Well then... Here we are. The very last BRRAL story. Damn, I didn't expect it to come so soon with the way I was planning/writing chapters for it cos I kept going into a state of denial where I would refuse to write cos I was either on the final ARC of the story or close to the end. But you guys should know I have this story fully written from beginning to end & I've been planning it properly ever since half way through of The Beginning of the End & that was a while ago so... I hope you guys really enjoy this story, I hope you guys like it & the things that are to come & I hope the ending leaves you satisfied & happy. I'm quite happy with the end, although it doesn't really feel finished if I'm being honest but that's bc I've left some doors open for you guys to use your imagination & decide what happens next. But... I guess you'll see when I get to the end of this story.**

 **Part of me is hoping not to get to the end of this story bc I love writing about these guys so much like... I don't want to say goodbye to them but there is literally nothing more & no other story plots I can write about them - there was The Deviants of Time but that went down the drain so yeah.**

 **I'm gonna stop waffling on & let you read what is the beginning of the end (no pun intended)**

 **This is the last time where I introduce a BRRAL story like this & write what to expect etc... so... yeah. I guess all that's left to say is...**

 ***breathes deeply***

 **Enjoy :)**

 **and try not to cry too much throughout ;)**

* * *

 **Title:** Link to the Past

 _ **WARNING:** Violence_

 **Summary:** R5/5SOS/The Vamps AU. After being put against each other to kill, the five boys & co must come back together one last time to hatch the perfect plan to take down Priscilla, Maxwell & Harvey. In the last battle to make things right, will they come out on top or will everything they've ever worked for up until this moment have all been for nothing?

 **Rated:** T

 **Genre:** Drama, Humour, Action, Adventure, Friendship, Romance, Family, Tragedy & Angst (?)

 **Starring:** Bradley Simpson, Ross Lynch, Rocky Lynch, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, Dan Howell, Joe Sugg, Caspar Lee, Phil Lester, Michael Clifford, Calum Hood, Rydel Lynch, Riker Lynch, Ellington Ratliff & Courtney Eaton  
 _ **Fictional Characters:** Samara Goodwin, Ashley Evans, Landon White, Renzo Lovera, Bailey MacCarthy, Ryan Lancaster, Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mia Wright, Kyle Ainsley, Alexander Blatov & Nate Rodriguez_

 **Couples:** Luke/Ashton  
 **Ships:** Dan/Samara, Joe/Samara, Ashley/Landon  
 **BrOTP:** Ross/Brad, Luke/Brad/Ashton, Dan/Phil, Joe/Caspar Rydel/Calum/Michael, Bailey/Renzo, Ashley/Ryan

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1  
** _Going Insane_ **  
**

Year: 2015  
Date: March 27th  
Location: The Cells, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah

Renzo woke up to a harsh cold feeling feeling as Priscilla had thrown an ice cold bucket of water over him. She came in with two guards behind her, not that he would be able to do her any harm as his hands were chained together and were dangling from the ceiling, but his feet were touching the floor. So the most he would be able to do is attempt to kick her.

"Morning."

"Is it?" Renzo asked shivering and looking worn out and tired.

"Are you ready to tell me who it was that helped you?"

"Nope." He said, only to be hit by one of the guards.

"Sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay, it's just... It's not hard to figure out who it was that helped you try to poison me with the Zyklon B gas in my perfume bottle – it could have been only one of two people. And I'm going to guess... Bailey or Ryan?" She said, letting a smile form on her face as Renzo didn't say a word.

It was Bailey who helped him but Doctor Cooper also helped them both as he was the one who put the gas into the perfume bottle. If she ever finds out Bailey helped him, Renzo just hopes she doesn't find out about Doctor Cooper.

Priscilla smiled at him "Thank you. I'll get them both and make them talk, trust me. It won't take much." She walked out of the cell and waved at one of the guards as though she was motioning for one of them to do something.

One of guards walked over to Renzo with their gun and smacked him as hard as they could in the head, which knocked him clean out.

Location: Escalante Desert, Utah

Tumble.

Mouth full of sand.

Tumble.

Rock.

Mouth full of sand.

Tumble.

More sand.

Another rock.

Tumble.

Stop.

Ross groaned after falling down a sand hill in the desert. He slowly got up from the floor and knelt.

"Ross!" Joe called, coming down after him, not falling or tumbling, after watching him fall – which he admits was quite funny but Ross doesn't seem to be in the mood for people laughing at his fails "are you alright?"

Ross nodded "Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. We've been out here for two days with no food, no water, no sign of Luke, Ashton, Rocky or Brad. They could be anywhere!"

"Do you honestly think they're going to try and kill you?"

"Um, when Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are threatening the lives of their parents and younger or older siblings – yes. Yes I do. And to be honest, I don't want my Mom being killed 'cause she's the only parent I have left!" Ross raised his voice, clearly frustrated to the point where Joe didn't dare say a word.

Instead, he looked around in the hope to see the outline of a city or small town so they could go get some food or water. Well, steal it. They had no money. But all Joe kept seeing was an endless view of sand – not even the base was in sight any more. They were well and truly lost in the Escalante Desert.

"I don't really wanna steal food or drinks, but at this rate it's looking like we're gonna have to..." Joe said, making Ross sigh "but... I don't understand... You survived – and I – one year and a half of an apocalypse. What the hell did we live on?" Joe asked.

"Taking food and drink from stores – or 'shops' as you brits call them – 'cause it didn't matter. It wasn't classed as stealing really. But I don't see any abandoned stores, Joe! I'd much rather be back in that fucking apocalypse 'cause at least I wasn't driving myself insane, I had a better chance of surviving and I had my friends!" Ross said, continuing to raise his voice as he got up from the floor.

"You didn't have Ashton."

"Yeah, alright technical." Ross snapped.

He sighed. He was well and truly losing the plot and he had only been out here two days – and he'd been out for one year and a half in the apocalypse. He was more sane then than he was now and that's saying something.

"Well, what did you drink and eat when you ran out of the food you took from the shops?" Joe asked.

"We were in a Forest, Joe, there were loads of animals you could catch and ea—hey," Ross said, where an idea suddenly struck him. Joe waited silently, wondering if he was going to tell him what he had planned as he spent a good few seconds in silence. "It may take a while to walk there by foot, but we could get to the Dixie National Forest. We'll find food and possibly the others too!" Ross said, seeming to lighten up a bit more.

Joe raised his brow "The others that you're paranoid are going to kill you?"

"Maybe they won't! Come on!" Ross said, beginning to run and go off again.

Joe groaned and followed him, knowing what that lead to last time – him falling down a sand hill "Ross, do you even know where you're going?"

"No."

"Do you at least know if we're heading in the right direction?"

"No."

Joe whimpered "We're gonna die."

 **Link to the Past**

Location: Cedar City, Utah

Calum walked the streets of some town he and Brad had found themselves in after walking forever through the Escalante Desert. He walked round the corner of a building where Brad was waiting "We're in Cedar City." Calum said.

"Right, okay, I have no idea where we are."

"Well we're still in Utah. And if we follow that road," Calum said, pointing to a road just across the street "it'll lead us straight to the Forest and we might find everyone."

Brad nodded, staying quiet for a short while. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Calum asked.

"Well... Once this is all over... You're not going to exist any more. You'll basically die and all this would have been for nothing." Brad said, feeling guilty.

Calum shrugged "Well I'm still here. Clearly there's still a chance I might be born," He said, letting a small silence that was just filled with guilt take over them "come on, lets go." Calum said, as they started walking towards the road.

Location: Landon & Ryan's Room, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah

Landon laid on his bed, being in a lot of pain as Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey had ordered everyone who works in the hospital unit to not let him or any of his friends in so they can't help or save him from dying due to the bullet he had been shot with when he refused to pick a side. He was still bleeding even though it had been tried to be stopped by everyone who was taking it in turns to help look after him apart from Renzo who's locked in the cells.

Currently it was Bailey's turn to look after him and to be honest he didn't know what to do for Landon at all as he was groaning in pain and Bailey couldn't do anything about it, which made him feel horrible and was pushing him to the brink of tears as Landon was dying. He let out a sound that made it sound like he was struggling to breathe which made Bailey panic as he had never made that sound before.

He rushed to his side "Landon? Landon! Breathe!"

"I-I-I'm... t-trying..." Landon said between breaths, and it coming out in a whispered tone.

"Well... Don't die on me. Or at least try not to." He said, making Landon laugh a little. He could barely cope with the pain.

 _Knock. Knock._

Bailey reluctantly opened up the door until he seen Mia stood there with a box. "Hey." She said, letting herself in.

"What are you doing here?" Bailey asked.

"I'm here to help you save your friend."

"What..? how..?" Bailey asked, not understanding how she could do so without being caught by a guard – which the base is now crawling with – or one of Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey them self.

"Simple. I went into Ross' room in the hospital unit, got a couple of things out of there that'll be needed to help save Landon and when I got caught I told the people that they were broken and needed replacing so I was taking them to the warehouse where all the stock is. They don't know I know you guys so it was pretty easy." Mia explained.

"Oh, okay... Just... Please do something for him, I can't watch him like this any more." He said, getting a little worked up.

Mia nodded "I will, don't worry. Just keep an eye out in case anybody comes." She said, turning to Landon on the bed to help him.

Bailey stayed at the door, opening it every now and then in case a guard came by. "Come on, Ashley..." Bailey said under his breath, practically begging for her to be here right now – for some reason he couldn't really understand why.

Other than the fact she said she was going to be back soon as she knew Bailey feels uneasy around this sort of stuff.

So where the hell was she?

 ** _Next:_** _Not Okay_

* * *

 **Thanks for reading & I hope you enjoyed this first chapter :) There are many more to come - there are 39 chapters in total for this story cos there is a hell of a lot to get through. I.E. Plot twists, complications etc.**

 **It's gonna be a rollercoaster so I hope you're all ready for it ;)**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOOOOOWWW!**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _Do you think she'll catch out Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mia?_**

 ** _Funniest Moment?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	2. Not Okay

**Glad you guys enjoyed the first chapter!**

 **But can we appreciate that I figured out R5, The Vamps & 5SOS may all be at the RDMA's together bc R5 aren't doing anything and The Vamps & 5SOS have like a 2 week break between then & when they get back on tour. I'M PRAYING THEY ARE. But then I ALSO figured out they may also be at the Teen Choice Awards together cos again I don't think R5 are doing anything, 5SOS are on tour in the USA so there's a chance they'll be able to go & The Vamps might be in the USA too.**

 **I hope they do meet. Preferably this year lmao I've been waiting for it ever since The Last Judgement.**

 **Anyways, enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 2  
** _Not Okay_ **  
**

Year: 2015  
Date: March 27th  
Location: Girls Dorms, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah

Ashley walked around the base after working in the Armoury all day by herself due to the state Landon's in and him obviously not being to work and help her. She had a big cloth in her hand that had something wrapped up inside of it.

She got to her room and opened up the door, locking it once she was in and had made sure nobody had made a surprise entrance by hiding in the bathroom or under her bed. After months of being here, Ashley still didn't have a room-mate – not that she minded. If anything when she does get a room-mate she'll be that used to not having one she'll hate it.

"You can come out now." Ashley said.

Seconds later Courtney crawled out from underneath the spare bed in the room. "Are you alright?" Ashley asked.

"I'm fine." Courtney said, getting off the floor.

Ashley handed her the cloth that had something wrapped in it "Food. I figured you were hungry."

"Thanks. Where's Abasi, Oakley, Isaac and Mariah?" Courtney asked.

"I've seen Abasi. I have no clue what they're doing but I think Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey have welcomed them to stay with open arms until they've got rid of Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and Brad."

"Which is a bad thing," Courtney quickly pointed out "they know that you, Renzo, Bailey, Landon and Ryan were trained by Ashton, Ross, Brad, Luke and Rocky so they're going to know you're loyal to them. They're probably trying to find a way to get rid of you as we speak."

"They've already got Renzo chained in the jail cells."

"There you go, it's already started. And with Renzo. Who's going to be next?"

Ashley shrugged, not getting that it was a rhetorical question "Probably Bailey once they know that it was him that helped Renzo to try gas out Priscilla by switching her perfume with a poisonous gas."

Courtney sighed "I'm starting to think that maybe you guys should have picked a side and went with Ross, Brad and Rocky 'cause you would be a lot more safer than you are probably here."

"Yeah, but then who would've saved you?"

"To be fair, there was no bullet in Mariah's gun – it was basically a blank. I got burned a little by the firing when she pulled the trigger and that was about it. I'm sure I would have figured something out regardless."

"So she spared your life on purpose?"

Courtney shrugged "I don't know. Probably not. The four of them aren't exactly very bright sometimes."

"Well, I better go see how Landon's doing. I've left Bailey with him for the majority of the day and I said I'd be back to look after him for the rest of the day a few hours ago." Ashley said, going to the door to leave.

"I'm sure Bailey can look after Landon just fine, he's not a child."

"Yeah, I know but... I was with him yesterday when it was his turn to look after Landon and he didn't seem very okay... That stuff makes him very unstable, it's obvious it does, he doesn't like it. And I made him feel like that by making him stay with Landon – I did it today too which was wrong of me when I know he doesn't like it. I know it doesn't seem like a big deal and that Landon's life's more important, but I shouldn't have done that to him."

Courtney went to go say something but stopped once she had thought about what she was going to say – it would have been confusing, but if Ashley understood she would have either laughed or took offence. She gave her a small smile instead "That's fine, just go to him."

"Thanks, I'll see you later."

Courtney waved her off.

Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah

Luke sat on the floor against a tree, staring into space whilst Michael stood a small distance away picking up pieces of wood that would hopefully make do to keep a fire burning – even though the pair had to keep on moving and find the others.

"Is it true?"

Michael looked at Luke confused at that question – mainly 'cause he didn't know what he was asking was true.

"Come on, you know what happens to us. You, Calum and Rydel know what the future holds for us all. Do I really turn evil?"

Michael sighed "I don't know. That's something we didn't see or pick up when finding out information about you guys and what the future held for you – or what holds for you."

"So... You know what's going to happen? Even with us being against each other? You know how all this is going to turn out and end?" Luke asked, and Michael stayed silent, looking away and avoiding eye contact. Luke got up from the floor, getting closer to him "Michael please. Be honest with me. What's going to happen?"

Michael shook his head "I can't tell you. I could tell you one thing – one small thing – that might not matter but it still could affect the future."

Luke sighed heavily "Come on, Michael, please! If you can't tell me directly then give me a hint – just something, please! Something that'll give me at least some hope about this whole thing." Luke said, raising his voice slightly as he was on the verge of breaking down.

Michael contemplated what he was asking and thought about what he could tell him, even though – in all honesty – he couldn't tell him anything 'cause he didn't know. "I'll be honest... I don't know what's going to happen 'cause the future that me, Rydel and Calum know and saw for you guys is gone – this is a whole new ball game. Anything could happen now. I don't know who's going to live or who's going to die. One of you could live, all of you could live or you could all die. Or maybe a couple of you will live and the rest will die – it's totally unpredictable now. I can't tell you what'll happen if you walk down that hill any more, you just have to hope for the best. The future's in your hands now, not ours. Just make sure you make it a good one for all our sakes."

Luke nodded "Alright, will do. Thank you. Sorry for hassling you."

"It's fine."

Luke walked away from Michael where a sudden pain came to his head – the same pain from when the electroshock therapy machine broke on himself and Ashton in 2037 – and he let out a scream of pain, dropping the wood and holding onto his head, lurching over.

Luke came rushing back over to him "Michae? Michael!"

It took him a short while to come back round, but he did and he stood back up straight. "Are you alright?" Luke asked.

Michael nodded, looking slightly dazed "I'm fine."

"Is the electroshock therapy machine thingy still affecting you?"

"What do you mean?" Michael asked.

"Well, back in 2037 when it exploded and you got electrocuted by it as well as Ashton you were like this... You weren't... with us, if that makes sense? You kept staring off into space in your own world or looked as though you were in pain. Is it getting worse? What's happening to you?" Luke explained/asked.

"I don't know," Michael said, beginning to stare out into space again, like Luke had explained he did "I... I can hear voices in my head..."

"Voices? What voices? Are they telling you to do stuff? Like, are they taunting you?" Luke asked, thinking that Michael was maybe starting to go insane or was having some sort of mental breakdown.

Michael shook his head, still staring and Luke was trying to figure out what he was staring at "N-no... it's Rydel and Calum... and... me. It's like... every time something in the future changes from what it was supposed to be... I get... I get a new voice in my head that's... from the future? I don't know... It's weird... It's almost like... they're telling me what's going to happen... but I don't know what it all means... I can't piece it together..."

"What are they saying?" Luke asked, thinking that maybe he would be able to help out with piecing it together.

"I don't know," He said, letting a short silence fall "I can hear voices, but... I can't make them out..."

"Can you tell who's voice it is?"

"I-I think it's Ross'... and yours..."

"Can you make out anything of what we're saying?"

"'No! Leave them!' 'I'm not leaving them, I'm not losing them' 'They'll be fine'."

Luke stared in confusion as he didn't have a clue as to what that could all mean between himself and Ross – it could mean a lot of things depending on who's saying what out of him and Ross. He shook his head "I don't know... Sorry... But, let me know if it happens again, alright?"

Michael nodded, watching Luke as he went and sat back down.

Ever since the electroshock therapy machine accident with him and Ashton, Michael feels like nothing's right any more and everything for him keeps changing which is making so confused. Yet... this situation seems familiar to him. Almost like... he's lived this all before.

But he's pretty sure he hasn't.

Location: Los Angeles, California

The date was still March 27th and it was the day after Ellington had found Dan washed up on the beach.

Ellington had decided to take Dan to his house first so that he could get his clothes dry so he wasn't in wet ones and when his Mom saw Dan, Ellington explained to her about where and how he found him where then his Mom insisted that Dan got his clothes dry, had a shower or something, had something to eat there and stayed the night for a good nights rest before he went back to wherever it was he's going.

Currenly, the two boys were making their way to Riker's house.

"So this Riker guy... Is he nice?" Dan asked.

"He has his moments."

"I hope he is... 'Cause I really need to get back to Utah."

"As long as you manage to come up with a convincing reason as to why you do – I mean, I know you can't tell me, but I strangly trust you for some reason even though I only met you yesterday."

They both stopped outside a house where a garage door was open. "We're here. Just follow me." Ellington said.

They walked up into the garage where there was a car with a bonnet lifted up and a radio playing. "Riker?" Ellington called.

Footsteps could then be heard coming closer and the door leading into the house opened up where a blonde guy came out, Riker. "Oh, hey. I didn't know you were coming." Riker said.

"I wasn't."

"Oh, nice. Who's he?" Riker asked, noticing an almost black haired boy next to him.

Ellington looked at Dan and back at Riker "Oh, this is Dan. I met him yesterday when he washed up on the beach after driving a plane into the sea." Ellington said, making Riker furrow his brow.

"It's a long story with more to it, I assure you." Dan said.

"Are you British?" Riker asked, noticing his accent and Dan nodded "cool. I've always wanted to go to England. What's it like there?"

"Um... Alright. The weather's bipolar. Mainly miserable – always cold. Erm... that's it really." Dan said, where his awkwardness was beginning to show. Awkwardness seemed to be the trait that showed most in him when meeting new people when he wasn't having a panic attack after waking up on a beach when he's supposed to be dead.

Riker nodded, letting silence fall between the three "Why are you both here?"

"I need to get back to the Escalante Desert in Utah. I have no money for buses and trains... and I was kinda wondering if you could help me out by letting me borrow your car..."

Riker raised his brow "That's never going to happen."

Dan pointed to Ellington "He said you might with persuasion."

"Oh did he now?"

"Riker, please." Ellington said.

"No! I don't even know the guy!"

"Riker, he says it's for something important and I believe him."

"Look, Riker... You don't understand. It is very important that I get back to that desert, you have no idea how important. If it settles your nerves you can come with me to make sure you get your car back – you don't even have to drive me to the desert. Just drive me to an outside town and I'll make my own way from theree." Dan explained.

"No."

"Please."

"I said no."

"Riker the world depends on it!" Dan snapped, without thinking which made both Riker and Ellington confused and also glance at each other.

"Go on..." Riker said, a little bit intrigued.

"Within that desert... there is something happening. Something terrible that needs to be stopped – I have friends who are trying to stop it. Granted, they might have stopped it, but I need to make sure they have which means I have to get there soon. I can't walk to Utah! Do you both know how long that will take?" Dan asked, Riker shook his head "exactly, it'll take days, and I need to be there in hours. Why? Because I have the strangest feeling that my friends haven't stopped that something from happening and that they need me in some way. I don't know how... I just have that feeling and if you don't get me there in time there is a slight chance that the world you are living in right now will be gone. Please. Please, please, please, get me to Utah so I can stop it from happening or make sure it's been stopped. If you want money for petrol – I can't give it to you now but I can give it to you when I get there. Alright, I'll have to make a trip back here with it but I'll be able to get back easy by then. Please, Riker..." Dan said.

Ellington stepped forwards "Riker... I believe him. I don't know why – I just do. I just have one of those feelings that he's telling the truth. Don't you have that feeling?" Ellington asked.

Riker stood as though he didn't know what to do 'cause on one hand if Dan was telling the truth, he didn't want to be the person that's standing between the world getting saved from whatevers supposed to happen to it and it ending. But he also didn't want to get half way to Utah and by murdered by this Dan guy.

Without saying another word, he turned round and went back into the house.

"Was that a yes..?" Dan asked.

"I don't know." Ellington said.

Minutes later, Riker returned and held up a set of car keys "I'm coming with you."

"That's absolutely fine." Dan said.

"And so's Ellington. 'Cause I don't want to get half way there only to figure out you're some murderous psychopath."

"That's also fine. Can we go now?" Dan asked, slowly edging towards the car.

"Yes."

They all got in the car: Ellington being in the back seat, Dan being in the passenger seat and Riker obviously being in the drivers seat. "Where are we going again?" Riker asked.

"Er, Utah, Escalante Desert. It should be pretty easy to find once you're near Utah – I'll direction you if you want." Dan said.

Riker nodded "Alright. You're friends better be worth this."

 ** _Next:_** _A Dying Shame_

* * *

 **#thezombiesquadisback**

 **SPELLING/GRAMMAR NOTE: I haven't checked the spelling or grammar for this chapter cos I'm too lazy today for some reason lmao and it's been a while since I've written full chapters & I'm only just getting back into the swing of it.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW! :D**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney & her still being alive?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Do you think he'll turn evil in the future?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Are you glad they're both back?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	3. A Dying Shame

**5SOS TWEETED ME. 5SOS TWEETED ME. 5SOS TWEETED ME. I THINK IT WAS ASHTON COS HE WAS ONLINE BEFORE THEY TWEETED BUT LUKE CAME ON AFTER IT HAPPENED SO I COULD HAVE BEEN HIM ALSO BUT IM 95% CONVINCED IT WAS ASH.**

 **HOW IRONIC THAT IT WOULD BE ONE OF THOSE TWO THOUGH.**

 **ANYWAY.**

 **Sorry for the wait on the update, stuffs been happening. I'll explain later or in another authors note or in a separate update.**

 **Also for those who read Just One Yesterday/MELA (My English Love Affair), I'm continuing the sequel up until what I've got written :)**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 3  
** _A Dying Shame_ **  
**

 **Location: Ryan & Landon's Room, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Ashley watched Mia as Mia sorted out Landon. She had gotten the bullet out of him and was currently finishing stitching him up.

"Is he alright?" Ashley asked, after Mia stood up and had finished.

Mia nodded "Yeah, he will be as long as he rests."

"Well that's gonna be hard." She said, a little bit frustrated as Mia knew the circumstances they were under – there was no way in hell any of them were going to be able to when they're being watched like hawks.

"I know, but he's got to try. Just look after him, alright?" Mia said, Ashley nodded "I'll be back later to check up on him, I've got to get back to work before people notice I've gone missing."

 **Location: Girls Dorms**

Courtney opened up the door to Ashley's bedroom and looked down each side of the hallway to make sure nobody was coming before leaving the room, shutting the door behind her, with a backpack on that she found in Ashley's room. She was off to go find Mariah, Abasi, Oakley and Isaac to see what they were up to and if they had finally left the base to go back to 2037 or if they'd stayed.

She was careful as she snuck around and she went to go walk round a corner but stopped when she seen Isaac coming down the hallway but he turned. She looked and followed him discretely until he got to a room in which he entered. Courtney waited for a few minutes before he came back out and left down the hallway.

Once Isaac had gone and was nowhere in sight, Courtney went up to the door he had just come out of and went inside, as he hadn't locked the door behind him. The room appeared as though that Isaac was staying in it for the time being. When she looked over to the desk in the room she seen several wrist-Epoch's on it – enough for Mariah, Abasi, Oakley and Isaac themselves. And also the wrist-Epoch's they took of Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and everyone else before they sent them away to kill each other.

And guess what.

Those wrist-Epoch's were Mariah, Oakley, Isaac and Abasi's only transport back to 2037.

Courtney grinned to herself before snatching every single wrist-Epoch that was in the room and put them into the backpack she had. After taking them, she left the room and followed the direction Isaac went in when he had left – seeing a sign leading up to HQ. Even though she knew it could be risky going up there, she went anyway and treaded carefully in case anybody like Priscilla, Maxwell or Harvey caught her.

Given that she's supposed to be dead.

Nobody was in the hallway for HQ but she heard a door open and close which she assumed was the room Isaac had gone into so she found the room and carefully looked through the window of the door where she seen Abasi, Isaac, Oakley, Mariah, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey. Courtney gently opened up the door a crack so that she could hear what they were talking about.

"It's been two days and they haven't found each other." Priscilla said, pacing back and forth.

"We told you not to put them so far apart." Mariah said.

"It's not a big issue, if you look it appears Ross and Brad are heading in the direction where Rocky, Luke and Ashton are. They all should be together by tomorrow not. If not, at least a couple of them will be," Harvey said, with the chip tracker in his hand and showing them "I can't wait to see them attempt to kill each other, it should be interesting."

Oakley scoffed, making the three bosses look at him. "Why are you laughing?" Priscilla asked.

"You really think they're going to kill each other? Even if you're threatening the lives of their brothers, sisters and parents? You really think that's going to stop them?" Oakley asked.

Maxwell nodded "Yeah."

Abasi shook his head "No wonder they always win. You're all stupid." He said, making the three confused.

"Come on… Think. They are a literal dream team. They have the skills to fight, the skills with weapons, they even have people who are trained to work in science and the hospital. If they get hurt, those people who work in the hospital are going to help them get better. Where does the science part come into it? Well, you see, Phil will probably find a way to make the microchips in their arms to stop working so you all think they're dead – then what's going to happen? They're going to come up with a plan to get back here and take you all down and kill you. Honestly, you were better off killing them when you had the chance two days ago." Mariah explained, feeling like barely any thought had gone into Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's plan.

"We could still kill them." Oakley said.

"How so?" Harvey asked.

"We know where they are. We go to them, find them and kill them. It's that easy. Alright, we may need a few patrol members but… they don't really have any weapons to fight with. They don't stand a chance."

"Yeah, that's what we thought the first time they were on the run but they still took out a great number of patrol and that was when there was only five of them. Now look at how many of them there is." Priscilla said. It was like they were slowly growing a min-army.

"Yeah… but do you wanna know what the difference is this time?" Abasi asked, making the three look at him "you've got us. From the future. We know every single move they're going to make, we know what they're going to do next… We can easily that against them. As well as… Some other things we know about them that nobody else does." He said, looking cunning.

Harvey raised his brow "You know secrets about them?"

Mariah scoffed "We know everything about them just as much as Rydel, Michael and Calum do. We know secrets ranging from Ross all the way down to Samara – and she's not even that important!"

"She is to Dan. If we were to use someone against him, we'd use her." Abasi said.

"Yeah, but Dan's dead so we can't. That means she's nothing to no one." Harvey said.

"No he's not. He's alive and he's making his way back to this base right now as we speak from LA. But you can easily get rid of him before he gets here. But let's go with simple things to use against these people…" Mariah said, becoming thoughtful as she walked around. She stopped and smirked as someone came to mind "Luke."

"Let me guess, we use Ashton against him?" Maxwell said, like it was a no brainer – which it is.

"Hell yeah. But not just Ashton, Brad too. Brad and Ashton. After all… Loneliness can drive a man insane or off the edge."

Harvey furrowed his brow "What are you talking about? Even if Luke didn't have Brad and Ashton he'd have his family – his brothers and parents." He said, after all he did threaten the life of them to Luke if he didn't go and do as he was told.

Mariah grinned before getting something out of her backpack and sliding it across the desk to Harvey "We're going, we'll speak to you later. Give this a read."

The three waited until the four had left the room – when they did, Courtney went and hide down the hallway and waited for them to disappear and once they had she went back outside the room.

Priscilla picked up what Mariah had given them and started to read it – it was about Luke. She let out a small gasp. "Oh my, God. Let me read that." Harvey said, taking it off her where he and Maxwell read it.

They read the entire thing to find out that Luke literally has nobody but Brad and Ashton – his parents and siblings were dead as they had died in a horrible car accident in Australia a few months ago. And because Luke hasn't gone or had the chance to go home since, he obviously hasn't told Ashton or anybody for that matter. Nobody knows but Luke himself.

And basically, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey had given him an empty threat back when they sent him off to go kill his friends.

Brilliant.

"Damn… That is tragic…" Maxwell said.

"Yeah, I had no idea… Poor guy has no family. That explains a lot." Harvey said, actually feeling sympathy for Luke which is something he's never ever felt for the boy.

"Technically he does. He has Brad and Ashton, but that's all he's got."

Priscilla grinned, finally realising why Mariah had given them it. "What?" Harvey asked, noticing her grin.

"No parents, no siblings, no nothing. All he has his Brad and Ashton," Priscilla said, where Harvey and Maxwell continued to stare at her, waiting to continue with whatever it was she had in mind "and wouldn't it be a dying shame if he lost them two as well?"

 _"Wouldn't it be a dying shame if he lost them two as well…"_

Michael raised his head slowly as he heard Priscilla's voice and that conversation echo through his mind. He looked up at Luke "Luke! We gotta go!" Michael said.

"What? Why? What's going on?" Luke asked, panicking in case somebody was around that shouldn't be.

"We've gotta go find Brad and Ashton!" Michael jumped up from the floor.

"What? Why?"

"Luke, I heard voices in my head again, it was Priscilla's! She's gonna get them killed!"

Luke stayed put for a moment before grabbing his backpack off the floor and running deeper into the forest to find Ashton as he knew that he was in here somewhere but as for finding Brad that was going to take a lot more work as he wasn't sure if Brad was in the forest.

 ** _Next:_** _The Hooded Man_

* * *

 **See, I thought Ashton came back into the story in this chapter... Apparently not. Like god damn, I wrote the story I should know when every character comes into it lmao.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW!**_

 **And all hail Ashton (or Luke) for tweeting me.**

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla, Maxwell & Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mariah, Oakley, Isaac & Abasi?_**

 ** _Do you think they'll kill Brad & Ashton?_**

 ** _Do you think Luke will save them in time?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	4. The Hooded Man

**Okay, so I've written an alternate ending for this story which I'll probs post when I finish this.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 4  
** _The Hooded Man_ **  
**

 **Location: Ryan & Landon's Room, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Ashley was with Landon. He seemed to be okay not but was still a little weak after Mia had got the bullet out of him, cleaned his wound and stitched him back up. She was sat on the edge of his bed and gave him a drink of water she'd got for him. "Thanks. Where are the other three?" Landon asked.

"What other three?"

"Bailey, Renzo and Ryan."

"Oh, erm… Renzo's been locked away in chains in the cells 'cause he got caught with his plan of trying to gas out Priscilla – currently she's trying to get Ryan and Bailey so she can make them talk and get them to admit who it was that helped Renzo. And once they do… I don't know what's going to happen to them both…" She said, wiping her face as she was nervous and scared for Bailey and Renzo and what would happen to them once Priscilla finds out it was them two.

Landon sat up and brought her into his arms for a hug "They'll be fine." He said, reassuringly.

Ashley sighed "I hope so."

They stayed like that for a while before Ashley pulled out of the hug and looked at Landon, who was inches away from her face. They kinda just looked at each other for a short while when Landon leaned in to kiss her but was interrupted by Courtney flying through the door – and quickly, the pair soon jumped apart.

"Guys!"

"What? What's wrong?" Ashley asked.

"It's Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah, Isaac, Abasi and Oakley! They're planning something! They're planning to go look for Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton and they're gonna kill them instead of letting them kill each other!"

"What? Why?" Landon asked.

"'Cause they know they won't kill each other, they know they're smart enough to come up with a plan that'll kill Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey! We need to do something! We need to find them!"

"How when we don't even know where they are or what Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are exactly planning?" Ashley asked.

Courtney stopped to think "Erm… Maybe I could try find out more about what they're planning and you could find out where Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey have hid that thing that tracks where Brad and that are?"

Ashley nodded, standing up "Yeah, alright, I can do that."

"Wait, Ash," Landon said, standing up and grabbing her arm gently "do you even know whereabouts they'll be hiding it?"

"I'm assuming somewhere in HQ or in their rooms."

Landon went to say something but didn't bother, he shook his head "Be careful."

"I will don't worry." Ashley smiled at him before leaving the room with Courtney. Landon sighed before sitting back down on his bed.

 **Location: Los Angeles, California**

Riker, Ellington and Dan were at the petrol station so Riker could fill up the car with enough petrol to get them to Utah in case they ran out half way there whilst Dan and Ellington were in the shop buying food for the journey. Well, Ellington was because Dan had no money on him and whatever money he did have on him probably got lost in the sea.

They were at the checkout getting their items. As the cashier was scanning their items, Dan noticed someone out the corner of his eye who was looking at him and Ellington. They had a hood over their head and were pretty much hiding their face so Dan couldn't make out who it was – and Dan wasn't liking the vibe he was getting from them. Ellington noticed Dan looking at someone and he noticed the person too, finding it suspicious.

"Excuse me." The cashier said.

Ellington looked back at her "Sorry." He said, giving her the money. The cashier had also snapped Dan out of his trance.

The boys left the shop and seen Riker was almost done filling up the car when the pair bumped into someone coming out of the store. "Oh, shit, sorry!" Ellington said.

"Don't sweat i—oh, hey, Ell." A male voice said.

Ellington looked to see his two friends Connor and Tristan. "Hey."

"Who's this guy?" Tristan asked, noticing Dan.

"Oh, he's a friend. He's been staying with me for a few days and I'm taking him home today."

"Which is why you need a bag full of food?" Connor questioned.

Ellington looked down at the bag and back at Connor "Yeah, he lives in Utah. It's almost a nine hour drive, if we're lucky a little less."

"Fair enough."

"Where are you tw—"

"Hey, Ellington, Dan, cars ready." Riker called.

Dan, Ellington, Tristan and Connor all looked in Riker's direction and Ellington face palmed due to the last time Tristan and Connor associated Riker and Ellington being together. Tristan raised his brow at Ellington "Oh."

"No, Tris—"

"No, no, don't explain yourself. It's fine. We get it. Are you sure you're taking your friend home?" Tristan asked, making Dan confused.

Ellington nodded "Yes, I am! Dan, tell them!"

Dan nodded "Yeah, he's taking me home."

"Why do you have a British accent if you live in Utah?" Connor asked.

"'Cause I'm from England and I live in Utah – Riker offered to drive me home but Ellington insisted he came so I wasn't with a complete stranger." Dan said, lying for Ellington's sake 'cause he could sense something was up with the way Tristan and Connor reacted to Riker all of a sudden being here.

"Oh, okay. Well… Bye then. Have fun." Tristan said, walking away with Connor into the store.

"What was that about?" Dan asked, when they were making their way to the car.

"It doesn't matter." Ellington said.

"Are you ready to go or what?" Riker asked, when the two had got to the car.

They boys responded with a yes when Dan noticed the hooded person from inside the store had come out and was still watching them before getting into a car. "Come on then, let's go." Dan said, getting into the car quickly with Riker and Ellington.

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

"Are we going to move or are we going to stay here?" Samara asked, pacing back and forth as Ashton and Phil were sat down.

Ashton sat against a tree with his head in one hand breathing heavily with his eyes closed "In a minute."

"You said that about an hour ago!" She said, getting frustrated.

"I'm sorry, but I'm tired and feel sick!"

"We're all tired, Ashton!"

Phil was also sat on the floor and sighed heavily, grabbing Ashton's attention where he seen Phil looked sad. "Are you alright?" Ashton asked.

Phil shook his head "No, not really."

"What's wrong?"

Samara rolled her eyes "Like you really have to ask him that," She said, which made Ashton roll his eyes "Phil, it's alright. It's not your fault he's dead. Even if you did remember him in time I'm sure he'd have got on the plane instead of Luke anyway."

Ashton let out a small whimper "Luke…" He said, feeling the pain of missing him. His face then fell to puzzlement as he looked up at Samara "Hold on, since when did you become so kind and carrying?" He asked.

Samara shrugged "It comes and goes."

Phil's head turned when he heard a twig snap "Guys… Did you hear that..?" He asked, lowering his voice a little.

"Hear wh—" Ashton went to ask.

 ** _SNAP_**

Ashton jumped up off the floor and Samara threw him a stick off the floor, which made Ashton give her a bemused look as if to say _"what's that gonna do?"_ it's not a very good self-defence weapon, it'll probably break the moment he swings it at whoever's there. Samara shrugged at the look he gave her.

Ashton slowly went towards where the snap came from and stayed hidden behind a tree before jumping out and swinging the stick at whatever was there. Quickly, Rocky ducked before the stick could have impact with his head. "Rocky!" Ashton said, smiling as he was very relieved to see him.

Rocky glared at him "Put the stick down, Ashton."

Ashton dropped the stick and hugged him "Never in my life have I been so glad to see you!"

Rocky gave him another glare as Rydel and Caspar caught up behind him "Have you guys seen any sign of Ross, Brad and Luke?" He asked.

Ashton shook his head "No."

"Right, okay… Luke's in the forest somewhere close to us, it's been two days for crying out loud."

"Maybe."

"Alright, you look in that direction, I'll look in this one." Rocky said, about to walk off.

Ashton furrowed his brow "What? You find me and then you're going to abandon me?"

"Yeah, I want to find the others."

"Come on, Rocky, I do too, but if you go off we might not see each other for days again."

"And by that time we might have Ross, Luke and Brad with us."

Ashton rolled his eyes. "Have fun!" Rocky said, continuing to walk off.

 **Location: Outskirts of LA, California**

Dan and Ellington were stood on the side of the road beside Riker's car, coughing as smoke poured out from the front of it whilst Riker tried to fix it. "Okay… I think it's fine now… I have no idea what the hell happened there." Riker said.

They were driving and got out of LA and started driving down this road, which was bumpy, and all of a sudden his engine started smoking up. "Maybe your engines overheated – we should probably leave it for a while to cool down. Or use some of the bottled water to cool it down." Dan said.

"Maybe. I need to go to the bathroom – I'll do it afterwards." Riker said, going down a small hill behind Dan and Ellington to go behind a bush and pee.

Ellington let out a small laugh. "What's so funny?" Dan asked.

"I remember having a dream about breaking down in a truck – ironically it was in this exact spot as well." Ellington said.

"Oh, that's weird." Dan said, also laughing a little.

Ellington nodded "Yeah. I was with three other people… Two of them were blonde and the other had brown hair – one of the blondes was a girl. I think we found Riker lying down at the bottom of that hill because he fell down it after being chased by… What was he being chased by? Oh, God, I can't remember… But he was being chased by something."

Dan looked down the road where he seen a car coming, he took a closer look where he seen it was the car that belonged to the hooded man from the gas station as he watched him get in it. Dan grabbed hold of Ellington and pulled him to the floor so that they were hidden behind Riker's car, out of sight.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Ellington asked.

Dan waited until the car had gone by and was well down the road before standing back up. "That guy in the car… He's from the petrol station… I swear he's following us." Dan said, not tearing his eyes away from where the car went.

"Why would he be following us?" Ellington asked.

"Exactly that's what I want to know."

"Right," Riker said, scaring Dan and Ellington as he came back up the hill "let's try get this thing back up and running." He said, going to the bag to get a bottle of water.

 ** _Next:_** _Run_

* * *

 **And all of the squad is back in the story (I think)**

 _ **2 REVIEWS OR MORE & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the hooded man?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	5. Run

**... Why... Why... I don't... Why...**

 **How come that almost everyone that reads this story is starting to ship Ross & Luke? I don't understand.**

 **But then I re-read the chapter plots for this story, realised & now you're all gonna have a feel-day. Brilliant.**

 **I still don't understand why you all ship it :')**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 5  
** _Run_ **  
**

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

Ross and Joe had just made it into the forest where everyone was supposed to be, and it was night time so it was dark and they could both barely see a thing – the only thing that was giving them light was the brightness of the moon and the stars.

Joe groaned "I need to rest." He said, feeling no energy as they had been walking non-stop from the Escalante Desert to the forest and it was a hell of a long way.

"Dude, we're here! They could be anywhere!"

"Exactly! Can't we just call it a night and look for them tomorrow?" Joe asked.

Ross sighed, about to give in, when a figure in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He looked properly, seeing two figures in the distance instead of just the one. He gasped a little "Joe, out of everyone who was only travelling with one person?" Ross asked.

"Er… you, Brad and Luke."

"Brad! Luke! It's Ross!" Ross shouted. Joe became confused as to why he was shouting their names and looked, seeing the two figures.

"Ross?" A voice shouted, but Ross couldn't tell if it was Brad or Luke's voice or them by looking at them due to how dark it was.

"Yeah! It's me! Who is it?!" Ross asked.

"It's Brad!"

Ross' eyes widened "Brad! Joe, come on!" He said, where they both started running towards him.

They finally got to each other and Ross immediately hugged him "Oh my, God, oh my, God, I am so happy to see you!"

"Yeah, me too!" Brad said, hugging him back. Calum felt a warm feeling in his heart seeing that embrace whereas Joe just felt like a third wheel. They pulled away after a short while. "Have you seen the other three?" Brad asked.

"No, I've only just got here."

"Oh, er… Well maybe we should make a fire or something and sleep for the night and once we're fully rested and actually have energy we can start looking for them together." Brad said.

Ross nodded "Yeah that sounds like a good idea."

"Are you kidding me?!" Joe asked, raising his voice which made them both look at him "I suggested that like… half an hour ago! AND five minutes ago! But you were all like 'no, no we need to find the others' and as soon as Brad comes along and suggests it, you're all for it!" Joe said, clearly annoyed.

"Are you complaining?" Ross asked.

"No." Joe said, before collapsing onto the floor to rest.

 **Date: March 28th  
Location: The Cells, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Renzo was still in chains and locked away in the cells, which was making him worse as each day passed. He hadn't had anything to eat or drink since he'd been locked up – actually, the amount of times Priscilla's woken him up with an ice cold bucket of water he's tried to at least get some of it in his mouth to quench his thirst but it didn't work. He swears that if he's in here for any longer he will die.

Bailey came up to the bars and looked at him through it, he had his head dangling down which made him assume that he was asleep or dead. "Renzo..?"

Renzo looked up and seen him "Bailey…" He said, being relieved. He went to go over to the bars but he forgot about his arms being in chains so it stopped him immediately. "Don't worry, I haven't… I haven't told them it was you…" He said, obviously tired and drained from all the beating and starvation. You could almost see his ribs he'd been starved that much and he was that pale he could be mistaken for a ghost.

"I know. Thanks. But… You're suffering because of it…"

"I don't… I don't care as long as it keeps you safe."

Bailey smiled a little but it soon fell "I'm gonna get you out of here, alright? I'll find a way I promise," He said, Renzo nodded weakly "I better go before someone comes and catches me." He quickly left and headed for the exit of the cells.

Not knowing that Priscilla had just watched from the opposite end of the hallway, grinning, as she had heard every single word of that conversation.

Courtney ran through the base like a maniac, pushing passed people who were in her way before she got to the boys dorms and flew through the door to Ryan and Landon's room. "What's wrong?" Landon asked, jumping at the way she came through the door.

"They're sending out patrol as well as Abasi, Isaac, Oakley and Mariah now to find Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton!"

Ryan got up from his bed "What?"

Courtney nodded "Yeah, I was just up in HQ and overheard Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey talking and they were saying that they've got a bunch of patrol together for them and that they're heading out right now as we speak!" She said, in full on panic mode.

"We've gotta do something, we've gotta find them first and get them away from here."

Courtney shook her head "No, you need to stay here and make sure Renzo stays alive and okay as well as Bailey."

"Well who are you going to take to look for Ross, Rocky and Luke etc.?" Ryan asked.

"I'll take Ashley with me. A-and what about that girl Mia? I'll take her too!"

"If Ashley's going with you, then I'm going with you." Landon said.

"Alright, fine. But… Where is Ashley?" Courtney asked.

"Last I heard from her she was trying to find them trackers."

Courtney furrowed her brow a little and her face fell "But… that's all the way up in HQ…"

Everyone in the room fell silent as they began to think that Ashley may be getting herself into some trouble – and by some, I mean more than she already is – by looking for the tracker. "Courtney, go look for Mia, I'll go look for Ashley – Ryan…" Landon said, stopping.

"Yes?" Ryan asked.

Landon breathed deeply "Look after Bailey and Renzo."

Ryan nodded "I will."

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

Ross, Brad, Joe and Calum had started to look for everyone through the forest, but were so far getting nowhere. "I'm hungry." Joe complained. Calum went into his backpack and threw him a chocolate bar. "Where did you get that from? Did you steal it?" Joe asked, catching it – not that he was complaining, at least he finally had food now.

"Yeah."

"How did you not get caught?"

"The perks of having a wrist-epoch."

"Wait… you still have your wrist-epoch?"

Calum nodded "Yeah, I had mine hidden when they were taking them off everyone."

"Then why the hell aren't you using it?" Joe asked.

"'Cause it's not gonna help me find where everyone is. It'll just make me jump from place to place and it's more than likely I'll end up in the same places most of the time."

Ross groaned "I can't be bothered looking anymore."

"Well it's the only way we're gonna find everyone." Brad said.

"No it's not. LUKE. ASHTON. ROCKY." Ross shouted as loud as he possibly could, but got no response at all. "LUKE. ASHTON. ROCKY."

Still nothing.

Brad sighed "Well that wor—"

"ROSS?" A male voice shouted.

"Oh my, God, it did…" Brad said, surprised.

"ASHTON?" Another male voice shouted.

"Wait… Did we just find Ashton and someone else?" Joe asked, being surprised also.

"It appears so…. GUYS! FOLLOW MY VOICE!" Ross shouted.

"Come on, I think it was this way!" Ashton said, hearing Ross' voice as well as someone else's voice.

Ashton, Samara and Phil kept following Ross' voice that was shouting – there was also another voice shouting but Ashton was only following Ross' because he knew it was definitely him whereas he couldn't make out who the other voice belonged to. "Ross! Keep shouting!" Ashton shouted.

"I'm over here! Brad's with me too!"

The three were getting closer to Ross' voice when Ashton suddenly collided into someone who grabbed hold of his arms after they collided. Ashton looked at the person and his eyes widened "Luke!" Ashton said, hugging him.

Luke hugged him back, tightly, being more than just relieved to see him "Ashton, oh my, God, you're alright!" He said, kissing the side of his head and keeping hold of him. He honestly never wanted to let him go again.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ashton asked.

Luke pulled away from the hug "Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are planning to kill you and Brad."

"How do you know that?"

"ASHTON!" Ross shouted.

Luke furrowed his brow "Who's that?"

"Ross. Back to the subject, how do you know that Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are trying to kill us? I thought they sent us out here so we'd kill each other." Ashton said, a little confused and concerned.

"Yeah, I'll explain that later. Come on, let's go find Ross." Luke said, grabbing Ashton's hand and following Ross' voice.

"Oh my, God, how long does it take to find someone?!" Ross asked, getting frustrated 'cause they had been stood there for at least five minutes waiting for Ashton and whoever else was shouting to come into sight.

Soon, both Luke and Ashton came into sight with Phil, Samara and Michael behind them. "Hey! Two for the price of one! You're all alright!" Ross said, being relieved before hugging Luke "I never thought I would be so glad to see that quiff again."

"One of these days I'm going to stab you." Luke said.

"I know."

Ashton hugged Brad. Calum smiled when he seen Michael and went over to him "Michael!"

This left Phil, Samara. "Guys!" Joe said, obviously because it was just them three having no one.

"Joe." Phil said, going over and hugging him. Samara followed and also hugged him.

"Where's Rocky with Rydel and Caspar?" Luke asked.

"Oh, I did find him but he insisted on us both splitting back up to find you guys. I told him to stay with me – now we probably won't see him for days." Ashton said.

"Eh, it's his own fault. I'm sure he'll find us anyway." Ross said.

"You know, I'm starting to sense that maybe we should have stayed with Ashton." Rydel said.

"Oh, shut up you." Rocky snapped and sighed.

Rydel turned to Caspar "Is he always like this?"

"When proven that his idea was wrong, yes." Caspar said.

"They've gotta be around here somewhere. We've got to find them all. They can't be far." Rocky said.

Rydel and Caspar stayed silent as they tried to think of what direction to go in or if they should just turn back and head towards where they found Ashton. Rocky looked around where he heard a car engine in the distance. A very familiar car engine.

Rocky froze in the spot and slowly turned around where he seen a Wrangler in the distance "Oh, no…"

"What?" Rydel asked.

"Guys… We gotta… We gotta run… They've… They've come for us…"

"Who?" Caspar asked.

"Patrol from the base! We've got to run now or they'll kill us!"

"What about the others?!" Rydel asked, going into a state of panic.

"Unfortunately they're going to have to find out for themselves! But if we find them along the way of running, there's a bonus. NOW FUCKING RUN!"

 ** _Next:_** _All Fall Down **(a/n: *tries not to sing permanent vacation*)**_

* * *

 **And half the squad are back together. PARTY.**

 **I'm also trying to make a Lashton video & if I stop being lazy, get JOY updated, it might be up tonight or tomorrow. WHOOP.**

 _ **2 REVIEWS OR MORE & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan?_**

 ** _and her hearing Renzo & Bailey's conversation?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Lashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on patrol finding Rocky, Rydel & Caspar?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	6. All Fall Down

**I love you guys *nervously smiles***

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 6  
** _All Fall Down_ **  
**

Luke, Ashton, Ross, Brad, Michael, Calum, Phil and Samara had all settled back down with one another and had been walking for a while in the attempt to find Rocky, Caspar and Rydel, but they decided to come to a stop and take a break for a while as they were becoming tired and a little cold. Everyone had settled.

Apart from Joe.

He stood in the distance watching them all. Luke and Ashton were together talking, looking happy as Luke draped his arm round Ashton and kissed him gently. Ross and Brad were also talking, enjoying each other's company. And then there was Michael and Calum who were talking about something, obviously about the wrist-epoch Calum has as he kept pointing to it and doing stuff with it.

Phil and Samara were also talking.

Joe felt lonely. But not the kind of lonely where all he needs is Caspar and he's fine.

The kind of lonely where he wants Stacey.

He was starting to miss her again as she was literally one of the most important things in his life, and she got taken from him faster than he could have ever comprehended. All he had left was Jenny, their daughter, and even then he did a stupid thing and left her in the custody of his sister so he only sees her when he gets a break from the base. And now he may never see her again due to the situation they're in.

The reason why he put Jenny in the care of his sister was because he couldn't look at her without thinking about Stacey as she looked so much like her – and he's heard stories where a child has looked like his/or her Mother to the Father when the Mother is dead and the Father has done unmentionable things to their child because of it.

And Joe didn't want to run the risk of that happening to him – even though he would have had to leave the base and get his memory wiped of everything that ever happened.

Samara was talking to Phil and noticed Joe stood on her own. She sighed and excused herself from Phil before going over to him "Hey." She said.

"Hey." Joe said, glancing at her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"No you're not, what's wrong?" Samara asked.

"Nothing… It's just er… At this present moment… I'm the third wheel. Well… the ninth wheel."

Samara laughed a little "Awe, does someone need Caspar here?"

Joe shook his head "No… Someone needs someone else here…" He said, looking down sadly.

Samara sighed "Stacey?"

Joe looked at her suspiciously "How do you know about her?" Joe asked. There was no way in hell Samara could know about her as the only people from the base that he talks to now that do know about her is Dan, Phil and Caspar – Dan and Phil because they were there when she was and Caspar because he found out.

Nobody else even knows of her existence.

"You weren't that quiet talking to Phil when you were trying to get him to remember who you were."

"Oh."

Samara let out a small laugh "I asked Phil more about her. She seemed… Nice."

"Yeah, she was. She was… Very, very nice."

"I can imagine. You must have been heartbroken when she… yeah…"

"Heartbroken? I didn't know which way was left and which way was right I was that lost without her – I still am to be honest," Joe said, making Samara frown a little "I mean… I would literally kill or do anything to have her back – right here, right now. I m-mean… I was that lost and upset I had to abandon our freaking daughter. She's in England with my sister and her boyfriend because I couldn't be a man and take care of her myself. Do you know how much I regret that? Especially since with what's going on right now I may never see her again…" Joe went on, being on the verge of breaking down but he was keeping himself together for the sake of not grabbing everyone's attention.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you will see her again."

"I hope so," Joe said, staying silent for a little while "you know, after the name Jennifer, she really liked the name Samara."

"She did?" Samara questioned, and Joe nodded "you know that explains a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"You barely speak or interact with me. You trained me when I first started here but you could never look me in the eye when having a conversation with me… You even made up stupid excuses sometimes and made someone else train me just so you could only train Caspar… You can only just look me in the eye now… All because she liked the name 'Samara' and I'm called 'Samara'," Samara explained, Joe stayed silent as he knew it was true "you're scared of me because of that aren't you?" She asked, and he didn't respond "you don't have to be scared of me, Joe… I'm not her. I'm not going to constantly remind you of her every time you look or talk to me. It's like me looking at Phil… I'm constantly reminded of Dan every time I look at him but I don't let it bother me. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love."

"Yeah but you don't know what it feels like to be in love with someone who's never coming back." He said, shutting Samara up for a few seconds.

"You still love Stacey?"

"More than anything and anyone."

Joe noticed how Samara wouldn't say anything and she was starting to become uncomfortable. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Samara shook her head "Nothing… It's just… I don't know…"

Joe stood closer to her "Samara…" He said, not getting a response "it is Dan?" He asked, seeing tears forming in her eyes.

Samara froze, looking at Joe. She took a while to give him an answer before nodding where Joe hugged her for comfort "It's okay."

"I'm getting cold." Brad shivered, practically hugging himself.

"Well we don't have any wood to start a fire." Ross said.

Brad groaned, throwing his head back "I'll go get some, it might warm me up." He said, turning round to go find some.

Ashton got away from Luke "I'll help you, hold on." He said, quickly kissing Luke and following Brad.

"Be careful, please." Luke said, to Brad and Ashton as they walked away, being highly concerned after what Michael had said.

"Relax, it's only firewood." Brad said.

Luke sighed as they both disappeared into the forest. Ross stood next to him and nudged him "Calm down. I've never seen you so worried about them both at the same time. What's up?" Ross asked.

"Nothing." Luke said.

"Stop lying to me."

Luke stayed quiet, trying to find a way to put it into words "Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are going to kill them both." He said, grabbing everyone's attention.

"What?" Phil asked, not being sure if he'd heard properly.

"Y-yeah… Michael, tell them."

Everyone turned to Michael for an explanation. "Ever since… We've all been put against each other – it's changed what's going to happen in the future. Me, Calum and Rydel don't know what's going to happen anymore. But… every time something changes in the future from what was supposed to happen… voices keep echoing in my head… like… from the future voices as if they're warning me about what's going to happen – voices from a situation that's going to happen. Almost like… I've lived this before." Michael said, which made Calum freeze, but thankfully nobody noticed.

He started to become nervous.

Why was he becoming nervous?

Because Michael was remembering.

Slowly, but surely.

"Have you lived this all before?" Ross asked.

Michael shook his head "No. At least… I don't think I have…"

He started thinking again and Luke automatically recognised the face he was making, meaning the voices had come back and were echoing throughout his head. "Michael, what are the voices saying now?" Luke asked.

Michael stared out into space as the voices echoed and he said them out loud, but he didn't say who was saying them:

 _"What are we gonna do..?" Brad asked, petrified._

 _"NO!" Ashton screamed, crying. "Ashton, come on! Leave him!" Luke said._

"Michael, I think you need to relax." Calum said, where his nervousness became clear to Luke.

Michael shook his head "No, no, I'm fine. I'm getting used to it."

Brad and Ashton were looking for wood to use for a fire and were slowly managing to find some that would make do for it. "Where have you been these past few days?" Ashton asked.

"Some town called Cedar City. We ended up there after we left the desert." Brad answered.

"Why didn't you just stay in that town? You'd have been better off and safer there."

"Because I wanted to find you. And the others of course. Just… mainly you for some reason," Brad said, making Ashton raise his brow at him "what?" Brad asked, seeming embarrassed which Ashton found cute and funny "hey, don't look at me like that. Every time someone's in a situation where they're scared or in danger they always want their Mum."

Ashton scoffed "Excuse me? I'm a guy! I ain't your Mother. I'm your Father."

"Yeah, but… You carried me for nine months like a Mother would. So technically you are my Mother if I had to label both you and Luke."

"Never call me Mother, Mum, Mom or Mam."

Brad laughed a little before it faded. Ashton noticed and dropped the wood he had in his arms before going over to him and putting an arm round him, pulling him in where Brad hugged him. "I'm scared." Brad said.

"I know, me too." Ashton said, rubbing his back.

"I don't want to die but… it's looking that way – for all of us. If we don't stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, but we can't."

"Don't worry, we'll find a way."

They pulled away from the hug and Brad scratched the back of his neck. "What's wrong?" Ashton asked.

"Remember when I kinda turned and tried to kill you all?" Brad asked, still scratching.

"Yeah?"

"Well, when I was fighting Ross he got me in the back of the neck and left a mark." Brad said.

Ashton furrowed his brow "It's been like… Six or seven months since that happened why have you still got a mark?" He asked.

"It's not a mark anymore… It's a scar."

"What did he do?" Ashton asked, having a look for himself where Brad did in fact have a scar on the back of his neck.

"I think he accidentally – or purposefully given the circumstances of that time – cut it. Luckily not deep enough to kill me, but deep enough to leave a scar. It's a weird shape isn't it?"

Ashton nodded "Hell yeah, I've never seen a scar shaped like that before – it's definitely something someone wouldn't forget seeing so easily. How did you even know it was there?"

"Dan noticed it first. He asked me about the scab on the back of my neck, I got confused, he held a mirror behind me and I saw it. After a month or so he did the same and showed me the scar."

"Fair enough."

Brad turned and faced Ashton where something caught his eye behind him. His eyes widened and he stepped back "Ash…"

"What?"

"Behind you…"

Ashton turned around where he seen a Wrangler from the base parked in the distance. "Oh, no…" Ashton said.

Before the pair could act, they seen around four or five members of patrol – as well as Oakley. And unfortunately for them both, Oakley seen them. "There's two of them! Get them!" He shouted, and pointed.

Ashton pushed Brad and they started running away from them – but it was in the opposite direction of where Ross, Luke and everyone else were so if anything happened to them they wouldn't know.

Shit.

Ross, Luke, Joe, Samara, Phil, Michael and Calum were all content, waiting for Brad and Ashton to return with firewood when all of a sudden they heard:

"GUYS! RUN!" Rocky shouted.

They all turned to see Rocky, Rydel and Caspar running in their direction, looking as though they had been running for a while. "Why?! What's wrong?!" Ross asked.

"Patrol! They've been sent out to find us. AGAIN! They're trying to fucking kill us!"

"What? Why?! I thought they sent us out here to kill each other, what the hell is this achieving?" Samara asked, being concerned for hers and everyone else's life but also confused.

Rocky shrugged "I don't know but hurry! They're hot on our trail, but I think they've split up to look around the forest thinking we're all separated."

"Alright, come on lets go." Luke said, about to take off.

"Wait…" Rocky grabbed Luke by his arm as he looked around confused "where's Brad and Ashton?"

Luke furrowed his brow but remembered what Michael had said about Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey wanting to kill Brad and Ashton – and now patrol was obviously here to do so. Luke's eyes widened "No…" He said before running off in the direction the two boys ran in.

"Luke! No! Leave them!" Ross shouted.

"NO! I'm not leaving them! I'm not losing them!"

"Luke! They'll be fine!" Ross shouted, but he ignored him and went anyway. Ross sighed heavily "You all go, I'll follow him!" Ross said before running off after Luke. Rocky directed everyone in another direction to run to safety.

Brad and Ashton ran as fast as they could from patrol and Oakley who were chasing after them on foot rather than with the Wrangler – but they were also firing stuff at them. The two stopped as they came to a sort of crossroads – one way lead deeper into the forest and the other lead forwards into an open mountain/hill area. "Er… Um…" Ashton said, trying to think.

 ** _BANG!_**

Brad screamed and ducked as the bullet almost hit him "Ashton just pick!"

Ashton decided to run forwards where the mountain/hill area was, and they made a break for it. "WHOA! STOP STOP STOP!" Ashton shouted, now finding himself and Brad on the edge of a cliff – which lead all the way down to more rocks and grass, but back into the Forest. Ashton sighed "Fuck…" He said, realising that himself and Brad were as good as dead now.

"Aw, look at that, nowhere left to run." Oakley said. Brad and Ashton turned around where Oakley stood with a few patrol members behind him. "Any last words?" he asked.

Ashton went to say something when:

"HEY!" Luke shouted.

Everyone turned in the direction of the voice where they seen Ross and Luke coming up behind them. "Luke… What are you doing?" Ashton asked.

Oakley laughed "Dude, if you think you're going to save them you're wrong. You'll never save them."

"Wanna bet?" Luke asked.

Oakley took a gun from one of the patrol men and aimed it at Brad and Ashton. Brad held tightly onto Ashton as he done so, even though Ashton was stood behind him and was the closest to the edge. "They can either be shot dead or they can fall off the edge of the cliff to their deaths. Your choice." Oakley said, beginning to walk towards them both which made Brad and Ashton move towards the edge more.

Luke swiftly punched a patrol member, getting their gun and holding onto them, aiming the gun to their head.

Oakley laughed "What's one patrol member's life compared to how many more patrol members there are? You haven't really thought this through have you?" He asked, making Luke silent.

"Stop being an ass tree boy and let them go. They've done nothing wrong to you." Ross said.

"Insults aren't going to change my mind."

"Then what will?" Luke asked.

"Nothing. I'd rather just kill them." He said, turning to face Brad and Ashton.

"NO!" Luke shouted.

 ** _BANG!_**

 ** _BANG!_**

Oakley fired the gun at the floor to their feet so that they jumped – the boys ended up jumping backwards where Ashton landed on the edge of the cliff, losing his balance and beginning to fall backwards. "ASHTON!" Brad shouted, holding onto him but he didn't have the strength to hold onto him which meant…

Ashton fell.

But Ashton was much stronger than Brad and had a tighter grip on him and because he had hold of Brad, when he fell, he took Brad with him. They both screamed as they lost their balance and fell. That was the last thing Luke heard of them.

"BRAD! ASHTON!" Luke shouted.

Out of fury, Luke shot the patrol member in the head, shot a second one and gave their gun to Ross who shot the third – only leaving two patrol members and Oakley.

"You better fucking hope for the sake of all your lives that they're both still alive!" Luke said, shaking in anger.

Oakley laughed again "Oh, Luke… Do you honestly think they'd survive a fall that big when the only thing at the bottom to break their fall is rocks?"

 ** _Next:_** _Turning_

* * *

 **Satan's going to go hide for a bit now if you all don't mind :)**

 _ **2 REVIEWS OR MORE & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT ME.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe & Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad & Ashton? (before they fell)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Oakley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad & Ashton? Do you think they're dead?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	7. Turning

**I actually remember writing this chapter & coming up with the ideas for it. Such a long time ago and now I'm here wRITING IT.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 7  
** _Turning_ **  
**

Brad breathed heavily as he hung tightly onto a rock that was sticking out the side of the cliff whilst Ashton had his arms wrapped around Brad's waist, holding on for dear life. "Oh my, God, we should be dead." Brad said, fearing for his life because compared to Ashton, Brad is petite and Ashton's much bigger and stronger than him.

And because of the weight of Ashton, Brad was finding it hard to hold on to the rock due him having his arms wrapped round his waist.

Ashton tried looking for a way that he could let go of Brad and try to climb back up to the top, but he couldn't and neither could Brad.

Suddenly Brad felt something hitting his head in tiny pieces, so he looked up to see it was little pieces of rock as the rock that he was holding onto was beginning to come away from the cliff. "Oh, no, no, no… Ashton… the rocks coming away!"

Ashton looked down to see how far down it was till the bottom but from where they were hanging on, it was still far so if it did break or if Ashton were to let go of Brad and drop down there was a possibility of death. They had a 50/50 chance of landing on the grass that lead back into the forest or on the rocks right at the bottom of the cliff. If they landed on the grass the pair might live, but it'll hurt quite a bit, but if they land on the rocks they will definitely be dead.

Did Ashton really want to risk his life on a 50/50 chance of surviving?

After spending a short time thinking about it, Ashton felt himself starting to slip and he was losing grip on where he had hold of Brad "Brad!" Ashton shouted, even though he knew he wasn't going to be able to do anything about it.

Brad couldn't do a single thing to save him from falling as he was holding on to the rock and if he let go in the attempt to help Ashton, they'd both fall "Ash, hold on please!"

"I'm tryi—AHH!" Ashton shouted in fear, slipping but managing to still hold onto Brad – he just had hold of him by his thighs and he was still slowly losing grip "Oh, no…"

In a matter of seconds he was going to be dead, he could already see it.

"Ash…" Brad said, panicking for Ashton too.

All of a sudden, Ashton lost complete grip and fell "NO ASHTON!" Brad screamed, watching him fall and hit the floor.

His heart almost stopped.

"Ash! Are you alright?" Brad asked, but he wasn't getting a response out of him as he laid on the floor.

He wasn't even moving an inch. He was just lying there not making any sort of movement. "No…" Brad said, his voice falling quieter as Ashton not moving meant that the fall had killed him.

Ashton was dead, even though he had landed on the grass.

He was gone and never coming back.

Now that Brad had no weight on him that was slowly dragging him down, he decided to try climb back to the top to see if Ross and Luke were still there but he heard several gun shots beforehand and it didn't sound good. He reached his arm up in the attempt to get to the next rock that was sticking out.

But as soon as he moved the rock he was holding onto began to come away and crumble in his bare hands which made Brad slip and fall along with Ashton – screaming as he done so. He pretty much fell to his death – having the rocks at the bottom of the cliff to break his fall.

There was no way in hell Brad was alive now.

There was no way in hell either of them were.

 **Location: Cedar City, Utah**

Dan, Riker and Ellington had arrived a short while ago and decided they needed a break before heading for the Escalante Desert, even though it was only an hour away. They stopped outside a store that had some toilets as Ellington had been complaining for the last thirty minutes that he needed to go.

"Hey, thanks for this. You don't have to drive me all the way, I can make my own way from here." Dan said, being in the car on his own with Riker.

Riker shook his head "Nah, its fine. We've come all this way, we may as well just take you to the exact spot need."

"Thanks."

Ellington came out of the store and got back into the car.

They drove for another ten minutes when Riker turned down a road and had to jam on his breaks as there was something in the middle of the road. Dan looked and his eyes widened, as it was two Wranglers from the base blocking the road – and a patrol member started coming towards the car.

"Riker, turn around." Dan said.

"What? Why?" Riker asked.

"Riker. Turn the fuck around and drive away from here."

"Why? We'll only have to go another way and it'll take twice as long."

"Just do it," Dan said, where Riker was still unsure and Ellington kept glancing between them both in the backseat "Riker, if that man sees me… He will kill me. Please. Turn around and head for…" Dan glanced around for the road signs and he seen one heading in the direction of a forest which seemed like it was away from here "head for the Dixie National Forest."

"Alright, but I want answers." Riker said, as he was now getting very suspicious about Dan and who he actually was.

Riker slammed the car into reverse and sped away.

"HEY! AFTER THAT CAR!" The patrol man shouted, running back to the Wranglers and starting to chase the car.

Ellington looked out the back window, seeing the two Wranglers following them "Riker, speed up! They're right behind us!"

Riker pressed his foot down harder on the accelerator which got them away from the Wranglers faster even though they were already a fair distance away. "What's up with them guys? And why do they want you?" Riker asked.

"That's not important right now, just focus on driving and getting us away from them! I'll tell you when we've got away from them!" Dan said, glancing through the back window every now and then himself from the passenger seat.

Ellington screamed as a bullet came through the back window, only leaving a bullet hole and thankfully not smashing it. "Oh my, God, they're gonna kill us at this rate!" Riker said, getting stressed and trying to pick up more speed.

"Turn round that corner!" Dan said, as they were coming into a woodland area which meant they were at the Dixie National Forest at last.

Riker turned the corner sharply and drove down the road, where the Wranglers were no longer behind them or in sight – but they would no doubt catch up. "Sorry, but we need to ditch this car right now and run and hide for a short while." Dan said.

"What?!"

"Just until they're off our trail. Now stop the car!"

"Riker, stop the fucking car 'cause they're behind us again!" Ellington shouted in panic, and already undoing his seatbelt.

Riker slammed the breaks on the car and the three boys jumped out the car, Dan jumped over the bonnet to get to the other side of the car quicker. He led Riker and Ellington off the road and headed into the Forest with them to find somewhere to hide for a while and hopefully they would lose them.

 **Location: Dixie National Forest**

Luke was still aiming the gun at Oakley as well as having the three remaining patrol members surrounding him. "What are you waiting for? Why don't you just check if they're alive and okay?" Oakley asked, even though he knew for a fact that they wouldn't be.

Luke shook his head "No, I don't trust you enough to turn my back on you for a second."

"Oh… Wise."

Luke was still shaking, he was frightened to death that both Brad and Ashton were dead as if they were that would mean he'd have nobody. No family. They would all be dead.

Ross put his hand on Luke's shoulder "I've got your back covered." He said, as he had the gun of one of the dead patrol members.

Luke looked at him before making his way to the edge of the cliff, very slowly as he wasn't looking forward to this answer.

At the bottom of the cliff, Ashton laid on the floor – beginning to feel himself wake up.

He was alive?

He was alive?!

HE WAS ALIVE.

Thank God for that.

He moved a little but found himself in pain – a lot of pain. He looked and felt around as best as he could where he found himself laid on the grass part of the floor at the bottom of the cliff. Ashton laughed in relief – what were the odds of that happening?

He found it hard to move but he managed to sit up, finding that he was cut and starting to bruise on his face and arms – and more than likely in other multiple places too. He looked up to the top of the cliff seeing that Brad was no longer dangling from the rock he was holding onto which meant that he must have found a way to climb back up to get help. That was a relief, at least he was safe and fine.

But that hope and relief was completely shattered.

Ashton's heart sank when he looked next to him at the bottom of the cliff to see Brad laid on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, not moving at all. There were bits of crumbled and broken rocks surrounding him as well as on him, which meant the rock that he was holding onto broke. "No…" Ashton said, becoming nervous and upset.

He crawled over and knelt next to him. Brad did not look like he was in any good state. His head and nose were bleeding and he had endless cuts and bruises all over his face and arms. "Brad…" Ashton said, shaking him gently.

He lifted him gently so that he was laid in his arms "Brad. Are you alright? Wake up…" He shook Brad gently and tapped his face as tears threatened his eyes. He tapped a little harder, refraining from touching his pulse as he didn't want that answer yet. "Come on, wake up. Stop being an ass!" Ashton shook him a little more.

Still nothing.

Slowly, Ashton guided his fingers to Brad's pulse on his neck and when he felt it, Ashton's heart almost stopped. Tears started to pour down his face "N-no… Brad…" Ashton said, shaking him even though it wasn't going to bring him back to life "L-L… Luke…" Ashton said, it coming out as a shaken whisper before finally:

"LUKE!" Ashton screamed in tears.

Luke became surprised and relieved to hear Ashton's voice shouting – but he didn't sound happy which unnerved him. "No way…" Oakley said, in completely disbelief that Ashton had survived that fall.

Luke got onto the floor and looked over the edge of the cliff, seeing Ashton knelt on the floor with Brad laid in his arms "Ashton! You're alright!" Luke said, being more than happy but he seen that Brad wasn't moving and that Ashton was crying "Ash… Is he alright?"

Ashton shook his head "H-he… HE'S DEAD!"

Luke immediately felt his heart sink and Ross' eyes widened as he wasn't quite sure if he had heard that right.

Luke got up from the floor and faced Oakley and the two patrol members with the biggest death glare anybody had ever seen, it was full of so much hate.

 ** _BANG!_**

 ** _BANG!_**

The two patrol members collapsed to the floor dead after Luke shot them where then he aimed the gun at Oakley "Run." Luke said.

Oakley laughed at him "Just kill me, it might make you feel a bit more satisfied." He said, knowing Luke didn't have the guts to kill him.

"Don't test me."

Oakley didn't move an inch, he just stayed put and waited for Luke to kill him. But he wouldn't would he? 'Cause he'd rather let him live and give him the chance to change his mind and turn from Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's side to the good side – just like the other four would. 'Cause they don't really want to kill anybody even though they're going to have to.

They don't have it in them.

 ** _BANG!_**

 ** _BANG!_**

Luke shot him in the arm twice, making Oakley scream in pain. "Don't count yourself so lucky about Ashton. Next time he won't be so lucky." He said, hitting Luke's last, very small, nerve.

He launched at Oakley and head-butted him, punching him in the face and beginning to kick and punch him with no control over it what so ever – he was finding it very difficult to stop. In fact, he didn't think he could.

Ross stood back and watched in pure shock as this was a side to Luke, Ross had never ever seen before – not even when they've fought like this before, he's never gone this crazy. Right now, Ross was petrified to go anywhere near him to try and get him to stop. Yes, Oakley deserved it but Luke was walking on a dangerous territory.

And Ross swears he seen a flash of evil upon Luke's face too. Trust him, Ross is good at spotting evil – he's been round it long enough.

Luke kicked Oakley in the face before aiming his gun at him and shooting him in the gut twice before putting the muzzle of the gun to his neck "I told you to run, I gave you the chance to live and you should've took it. It's a shame really 'cause now I won't be able to make you watch your grandparents die like you just made me watch Brad."

He finished off by shooting Oakley in the neck, killing him instantly.

Luke ran back to the edge of the cliff "Ashton! I'm coming!" He ran from the edge and seen a little bit of a path that lead down to the bottom of the cliff "Come on, Ross!" Luke said, running to it.

Ross stood baffled 'cause it was just like he had watched two completely different people with Luke – he just went from being a complete murderous psychopath back to normal Luke quicker than Ross could have comprehended.

And he didn't like that one bit as a part of Luke was starting to show and come out that doesn't seem like it's going to be good for anybody in the long run. Not even Ashton. And not even for Luke himself.

Which was making Ross question if Luke was really starting to turn evil – as Harvey had said to them back at the base.

He decided to ignore it for now and follow Luke down to the bottom of the cliff as he needed to know if Brad was dead and Ashton was alright.

Ross and Luke got to the bottom within minutes to find Ashton sobbing whilst cradling Brad's dead body. "Ash!" Luke went over and knelt beside him.

"H-He's gone… He-he's dead… I'm s-sorry…" Ashton cried.

"Are you sure?" Luke asked.

"H-he's got no fucking pulse!"

Luke looked up at Ross and nodded for him to check if Brad was dead properly, with him working in the hospital unit so he can tell and knows when a person is dead whereas Ashton doesn't and may not be checking properly. "Come on, Ash. Let Ross see."

Ashton shook his head, refusing to let go of Brad as he buried his head into him sobbing. Luke had hold of Ashton by the arms and dragged him away, still being on the floor where Ashton wound up collapsing into Luke's arms crying so he just held him.

Ross knelt down next to Brad, seeing his face was bloodied and bruised and his skin was going pale. He breathed deeply "Come on buddy… Don't do this to us… Not now…"

Ross put his head on Brad's chest to listen for a heartbeat but he couldn't hear one so he lifted up his arm and felt the pulse on his wrist but there wasn't one there either. "Come on, come on…" Ross said where his voice raised higher in pitch. Lastly, he felt the pulse on his neck.

Absolutely nothing.

His chest wasn't even moving up and down in the slightest to show he was breathing.

Ross shook his head, putting both his hands on Brad's chest where he began to press on it, pumping up and down in the hope to restart his heart but it wasn't working "Come on you little fucking dick, don't do this to us!" Ross said, in a little bit of frustration as he tried to save his best friend's life with Luke and Ashton watching.

Ross stopped, but the chest pump didn't work either.

And there was only one last thing left to try.

Mouth to mouth.

And he didn't really want to do that as he would be practically kissing Brad, and Ross doesn't really want to kiss him.

But hey-ho, it's the only other and last way right now given that he has nothing else with him from the hospital unit to try and revive him with. Ross shrugged "Oh, what the heck. Luke, Ashton, I'm so sorry for this. Will, if you're looking down on us, I hope you're happy."

Without further ado, Ross put his lips against Brad's and began the mouth-to-mouth procedure. He stopped to pump his chest, done mouth-to-mouth and pumped his chest again, doing the same thing over and over again a few times. He stopped and checked his chest and pulse on his wrist and neck.

Still nothing.

Nothing at all.

Not even a single breathe or slow heartbeat.

No…

He couldn't be.

There was no way.

But he was.

How could he be?

They were supposed to save the world. How were they going to save it now?

They'd come so far.

And….

He was gone.

Ross' eyes started to slowly fill up with tears, he turned to Luke and Ashton "I-I'm… I'm sorry… He's dead…"

"NO!" Ashton shouted, going to his side.

Luke sighed, trying to hold himself together and not cry also but he looked up to the cliff top where he seen patrol "Oh, no, Ashton! We've gotta go!"

"No! I'm not leaving him!"

"Ashton, we've got to, he's dead! We can't take him with us!" Luke said, no matter how much he wanted to.

Ashton refused to move so Luke went over and grabbed hold of him, pulling him up. "NO!" Ashton shouted, trying to fight back out of Luke's grip.

"Ashton come on! Leave him!"

Ross stayed put, not being able to believe or comprehend that Brad was gone and dead. Just like that… and he was never coming back. His best friend, his other brother. Gone. Dead.

"Ross! Help me!" Luke said, raising his voice which brought Ross out of his depressed trance.

Ross got up from the floor and grabbed hold of Ashton, dragging him away with Luke in the attempt to get away from patrol and find the others.

 ** _Next:_** _Nobody's Going to Die_

* * *

 **Honestly, there's worse to come than this, not even gonna lie.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Brad & Ashton at the start? Were you expecting them to be dead?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on patrol now obviously after the three of them?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him killing Oakley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Oakley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Were you expecting him to die?_**

 ** _In fact, were you expecting a death in this story this fast?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think's going to happen?_**


	8. Nobody's Going to Die

**Right. So how do I put this gently?**

 **This is going to be my last story & the last thing you'll ever read from me bc of circumstances that I'll explain in more detail another time.**

 **So yeah, enjoy this story whilst it lasts cos once this story's finished, I'm gone.**

 **Also, R5 are nominated for an RDMA yet 5SOS & The Vamps aren't. Why does the universe hate me? Why does it not want to see the 3 of them together? I at least hope they either perform or present an award. Preferably the award R5 are nominated for & hopefully they win lmao.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 8  
** _Nobody's Going to Die_ **  
**

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

Rocky and everyone else, minusing Luke, Ross, Brad and Ashton, had been running and hiding for a while until they finally lost the patrol that were chasing Rocky, Caspar and Rydel – at least they hope they have.

The group came to a pause in the middle of the forest. "Should we wait a while and see if the other four catch up?" Rydel asked.

"Er, yeah, just keep a close eye out in case there's any more patrol." Rocky said, looking around for himself just in case.

"So… Are we going to stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey? Or are we just going to stay on the run forever?" Caspar asked, after a short while of them being in the same spot.

"How when we can't go back to the base?" Rocky asked.

Caspar shrugged "I don't know… Find a way to stop the microchips in your arm from working."

"Wait until the others are back and we'll think of something."

Samara gasped loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone "Oh my, God, Ashton!"

Everyone looked in her direction and seen Ross and Luke on either side of him, holding him up as he walked by an arm each – whilst being bloodied, bruised and crying. He was not in a good state. Emotionally and physically. "What the hell happened?!" Rocky asked.

"Where's Brad?" Calum asked.

Ross and Luke glanced at each other, still holding onto Ashton but Ross slowly let him go so that Luke was holding onto him completely. "Brad's… He's… He's dead…" Ross said.

"What? How?" Michael asked.

"There was a cliff that he and Ashton fell down 'cause they were getting chased by patrol – he landed on the concrete part of the ground and it killed him instantly whereas Ash landed on the grass." Ross explained.

"A-and we j-just left him." Ashton said, shaking because of the tears, pain and guilt.

Luke sighed having his arms around Ashton to help him stand, where then Ashton suddenly started breathing heavily. "What's wrong?" Luke asked, becoming concerned.

Ashton shook his head, beginning to go dizzy as he started to see double of everything – his vision was becoming fuzzy and slowly turning black. And the next thing Luke knew, he was on the floor with Ashton who had collapsed unconscious into his arms. "Ashton! Ash!" Luke said.

Ross knelt down beside him and felt his pulse "He's alright, he's fine. He's just passed out."

"Why?" Luke asked.

Ross shrugged "Loss of blood? Shock? Both?" Ross guessed "we should leave him rest for a while until he wakes back up."

"Ross, there's patrol about. We don't have time to wait around for him to wake up. " Rocky said.

"So? Keep an eye out," Luke said, holding Ashton in his arms and stroking his face gently as he looked down at him "I don't want to drag him around if it'll make him worse."

Ross looked at Rocky, giving him a _'do it'_ facial expression and Rocky gave him a _'why/are you kidding me?'_ one in return. _'Just do it'._

Rocky rolled his eyes, giving in "Right, Calum, Michael, you two keep an eye out for now. Luke, look after Ashton. The rest of us… Do whatever."

A patrol officer looked around the Forest, left, right and all around but he was having no look. He looked in the direction of where there was a tree on the floor that had obviously been cut down or collapsed from something. He sighed, turning back around where there was a Wrangler with two other patrol officers. He shook his head "No, they're gone." He said, going back to the Wrangler.

Behind the fallen down tree, Dan, Riker and Ellington all laid in positions so that they couldn't be seen by any patrol that were lurking about behind them. The three waited until the car engine of the Wrangler started and it faded off into the distance before they appeared up from behind the tree, seeing that the Wrangler was well gone.

"Who were those guys?" Riker asked.

"People from that place in the middle of the desert." Dan replied.

"What place?" Ellington asked.

"The place you two were supposed to be taking me to but… that's kinda gone out the window. Looks like I'm gonna have to find my own way there by foot." Dan said, getting up and walking off to try find a way out of the forest that lead towards the Escalante Desert.

Riker and Ellington both stood up. "Wait… that's it? You're just gonna leave us now?" Riker asked.

"Well… I don't really need you anymore… All I needed was a lift, you knew that from the start."

"Yeah, well, if we go now we've gotta find his car and there's a chance whoever they are, are all over it and if they see us won't they catch us?" Ellington asked.

Dan thought about it for a moment and realised that he was right and that maybe the pair were going to be safer with Dan than they would be on their own, trying to get back home. "Yeah… You may be right there… Alright. Stay with me and once we get to where I need to be I'll make sure you both get home safe, alright?"

"Alright." Riker and Ellington said in unison.

"Now come on." Dan said, walking off again with the boys following him.

 **Location: HQ, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

"What do you mean he's dead?" Harvey asked.

"Exactly that. He was found at the top of a cliff – shot in the arm, gut and neck." Mariah said, talking about Oakley.

"Who killed him?" Priscilla asked.

Mariah shrugged "I don't know. Probably Brad, Rocky, Luke, Ashton or Ross – or one of their friends. It was bound to be one of them."

"Oh, yeah, so that's great. We're down by one. You know, for people who claim they know what their every move is going to be next, you're not doing such a good job of it." Maxwell said.

"Relax, Maxwell. Oakley's death didn't go without something in return," Abasi said, where Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey waited for him to explain what he meant by that "they looked over the edge of the cliff and seen Brad."

"And?" Harvey asked.

"He's dead. He fell to his death. His body's still there now if you want to go look for evidence." Mariah said.

"Oh my, God. No way. One down, four to go." Priscilla said, with a happy and impressed grin on her face.

Isaac looked at her confused "Don't you have that tracker? The one that tells you where they are and if they're alive? I'm surprised you didn't know before now."

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about that," Priscilla turned round and went into the cupboard it was in, and once she opened it up her face fell "it's gone."

"What do you mean 'it's gone'?" Harvey asked.

"Someone's took it. And I think I might know who."

Ashley ran as fast as she could through the base with the tracker in her hands, trying to find the others before anybody noticed that it was missing. That was when someone grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the side, she screamed but seen that it was Landon and calmed. "Landon! What are you doing? You should be resting!" She said.

"Coming to find you! I thought you were in danger with the tracker thing being in HQ."

Ashley shook her head and held it up "I got it! But it won't be long till Priscilla or someone notices it's gone."

"Right come on, we're meeting Courtney in the basement." Landon said, grabbing her hand and taking her in that direction.

The pair got to the basement within minutes where Courtney was with Mia, Ryan, Bailey and a backpack that looked full of stuff. "Have you got it?" Courtney asked.

Ashley showed her the tracker and she took it from her, having a look at it for herself. "Now what?" Ashley asked.

"We go to them and bring them back." Courtney said.

"How do we get them? We can't take a Wrangler, that'll be too noticeable and it'll take hours – they might have moved by then." Bailey said.

Courtney went into the backpack that was on the floor and held it upside down where all of the wrist-epoch's that belonged to everyone that once had one, including Mariah, Isaac, Oakley and Abasi, fell out onto the floor. "Wrist-Epoch's. Time travel and transportation devices. We only need one but it wouldn't hurt to take the others for everyone." She said.

Courtney opened up the tracker to see where the five boys were and once it switched on, she seen four flashing triangles – which made everyone's face either confused or fall apart from Mia as she hadn't seen it before or knew what it meant. "What?" Mia asked, wondering why the five had the look they had upon their faces.

"One of them's dead." Ryan said.

"How do you know?"

"Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey explained when they put the microchips into their arms. They track where they are and they stop flashing when one of them's dead." Courtney said.

"Do you know who it is that's dead?" Mia asked.

Courtney brought up a window at the side which showed what flashing triangle represented who "Brad… He's dead…" She said, making Mia gasp "he's at the bottom of some cliff still…" Courtney got one of the wrist-epoch's and typed in a location on it for them to transport "Right, locations set to find them. I'm going, Ashley, Landon and Mia are too."

"What about us two?" Ryan asked.

"You're both staying here to make sure Renzo stays alive."

She put the wrist-epoch on and the tracker in the backpack as well as the rest of the wrist-epoch's. "You three need to hold on to me, alright?" Courtney said, looking at Landon, Ashley and Mia.

"Wait," Bailey said, stopping Courtney from pressing the button that would transport them "when's the next time we'll see you as well as Ross, Rocky, Ashton, Joe and Caspar?"

"The next time you see us we will all be together again and we will have a plan to stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey once and for all." Courtney said, smiling reassuringly to him.

Bailey nodded "Right, so… You're from the future, right? Meaning… You know the outcome of this – or some possible outcomes."

Courtney nodded "I do."

"Who's gonna die?"

"What?"

"Courtney, come on. I'm not stupid – none of us are. Not all the heroes and villains survive situations like these," Bailey said, where Courtney stayed completely silent "how many at least if you can't tell me who?"

Courtney sighed "The future is different from what I've known it to be. Anything could happen and anyone could die. You're right though, not all of us are gonna make it out of this alive but… We can give it a damn good try. In fact, we will. Every single one of us standing in this room will live and so will Ross, so will Luke, so will Samara – everyone. I've seen who dies but hey… right now, the time and the future can be re-written so let's re-write that – none of us need to see those hearts broken. Nobody's going to die. I promise you."

Bailey wasn't really convinced no matter how sure Courtney sounded, but he decided to go along with it anyway. "Alright, go on. Go get them." He said.

In a flash, Courtney, Mia, Landon and Ashley all disappeared – leaving Ryan and Bailey alone in the basement.

Ryan and Bailey glanced at each other, deciding to leave the basement – having an unnerving feeling about the next time they'd see everyone.

You know.

Given that the next time they all do see each other and are reunited each and every individual will be practically dancing with death.

 ** _Next:_** _Caring_

* * *

 **Parts of the next chapter are actually kinda sweet. Whoop.**

 **Also, I made a poster for this story which is now the cover & I'm pretty proud of it (until I remembered my original plan for it & i nearly threw myself out the window cos of how long it took me to make)**

 _ **REVIEW PLEASE & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mariah?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the poster for the story? Do you like it?_**


	9. Caring

**Alright so... For some reason the song "Beside You" by 5 Seconds of Summer kept popping in my head as I wrote this chapter so... Do you wanna listen to it as you read this chapter? Haha. Or maybe after it? Idk. Just listen to it haha.**

* * *

 **30 Chapters until the end of this story... Now... This at the point where it's going to seem like the ending to this is gonna come quicker than you guys think.. Just saying. It happens all the time when I write stories when I get to a certain point it's like "did I really write it that fast? damn". So yeah... Just prepare yourselves.**

 **Also, I'm kinda trying to make this story last up until April so I can share what my first time seeing 5 Seconds of Summer live was like - I'm seeing them twice. I'm determined to meet them some way & somehow cos they don't do Meet & Greet, you have to win it & I've already entered one competition but I lost haha. WISH ME LUCK ON MEETING THEM. I mean come on, I told Ross to look up Rosslington if he didn't know what it was - forgetting that my FanFiction account was the first thing that popped up - when I met them the first time, when I met The Vamps I freaking fell over in front of them & if it wasn't for Connor catching me I'd have hit the floor & probably knocked myself out...**

 **I'm scared to know what I'll do if I ever meet 5SOS.**

 **So if you wanna know, wish me luck & the next time I enter Meet & Greet, help a girl out? haha. I wanna meet them so freaking bad - more than I did R5 & The Vamps. **

**I'm also seeing [not meeting] the vamps again the same month. So basically... The first week of April, it's The Vamps, the second week it's the 5SOS concert & on the third week it's the second 5SOS concert... I am gonna be a wreck in April. Imagine if R5 did a concert on the last week of April in the UK. I'd be dead.**

 **Honestly, RIP me that month. RIP.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 9  
** _Caring_ **  
**

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

It was getting dark and the only thing that was giving off light where they were was the fire that had been lit and the moon that was slowly starting to creep out in the sky. Luke sat next to Ashton who was laid out on the floor and still hadn't woken up yet since he'd collapsed which was becoming worrying, he had his head cushioned by Rocky and Joe's jacket and hoodie. Luke frowned a little when Ashton shivered so he took off the jacket he was wearing and put it over him for warmth before stroking his head.

Samara came over to him "Luke? Do you want something to eat?"

"What is it?" Luke asked, not looking away from Ashton and also confused as nobody had food on them.

"A squirrel Joe killed."

Luke grimaced, looking up at her "I'll pass." He said, looking back down at Ashton and seconds later he felt two objects collide with the back of his head. He rubbed where they had hit and looked to see a bottle of water and a packet of crisps **(a/n: chips if you're American which the majority of you are)**. Luke gave Samara a weird look.

"Calum still has his wrist-epoch to transport himself in and out of stores."

"Oh. Thanks." He said, picking them up off the floor.

Samara sighed, watching Luke with Ashton "He'll be alright you know. You don't have to stay at his side."

"I know. I want to though."

Samara smiled, with a mix of a frown "I've never seen someone so in love before."

Luke let out a small laugh "I'm just making sure he's alright and that he recovers."

"Because you love him. A lot. Maybe too much."

"Yeah."

"And one day that's going to destroy you," She said, making Luke look up at her confused. Samara breathed deeply "Go talk to Joe. Ask him about a girl named Stacey."

"Why?"

"Just do it. Go on. I'll look after Ashton until you're done. I promise the conversation will be worth it and interesting."

Luke slowly got up off the floor and made his way over to Joe. Samara watched before sitting on the floor next to Ashton, shivering and looking around at everyone.

Ashton started moving around, groaning, and Samara looked down at him to see his eyes fluttering open. He rubbed his eyes "Luke..?" He said, going to sit up.

Samara stopped him from doing so "Shh, it's alright. He's talking to Joe, he'll be over soon. Relax."

Ashton surprisingly did as he was told because he was in too much pain to argue. Samara helped him to sit up and lean against the tree for support. "I don't want the answer to this question because I can't see him but… Was Brad dying a bad dream?"

Samara sighed sadly and shook her head "No… He's dead. I'm sorry."

Ashton sighed, feeling like crying all over again "And we just left him at the bottom of the cliff to rot." He said, beginning to feel guilty and hate himself for doing so.

"Ash, you couldn't have brought him with you anyway. He'd have slowed you down. Plus… What good would have dragging a dead body around with you have brought?" She asked.

"I know… It's just… I don't know… It's hard to explain. If you had a child of your own you'd probably understand – not that I'm saying you won't if I tried to explain."

"Yeah…" Samara said, looking down.

"Ash!" Luke said, breaking the silence between Samara and Ashton that was growing. He knelt down on the floor next to him and kissed and hugged him "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm alright, still in a bit of pain." Ashton said.

"Alright, well, make sure you rest, alright?" Luke said, and Ashton smiled a little at him and nodded whilst Samara got up and walked away from them both before she became a third wheel.

Whilst she walked away, she bumped into someone that grabbed her by both arms. She looked and seen Joe. "Can I talk to you for a moment?" Joe asked.

"Sure." She said.

"Alone and away from everyone." Joe said, making her instantly nervous.

Dan, Riker and Ellington had finally found a place in the forest to sleep for the night with a fire lit – it wasn't going to be comfortable but hey, they needed energy if they were going to be walking from here all the way to the desert. It was pitch black where the three boys were so the fire, the moon and stars were the only things giving them light to see their surroundings.

Ellington sat with his legs brought up to his chest, practically hugging himself "Of all the places we had to ditch the car, why couldn't we have ditched it in the Bahamas? I'm freezing my ass off." He said, making the other two boys laugh.

"Well, March is a cold month." Riker said. Ellington rolled his eyes at him.

Dan sighed, quietly, and looked at the floor a little sad from where he laid on his side. "So, er… Are we gonna be alright?" Riker asked.

"Hmm?" Dan said, snapping out of his sad trance.

"Well those guys that were chasing us… Once you leave us and get us back home, are we going to be safe?"

Dan nodded "Yeah. We all will, don't worry."

A short silence fell as Dan started playing with bits on the ground. Riker and Ellington glanced at each other as they watched him – they couldn't really put a finger on what he looked like or what he was feeling. He looked numb, sad and worried all wrapped into one but they couldn't understand why. And maybe they would if Dan would just open up to them about where they were going.

"What is in the middle of this desert you're going to?" Ellington asked.

"Just a place." Dan answered, not looking away from the floor.

"Oh come on, you can tell us. We won't say anything to anybody. Is it supposed to be a secret?" Riker asked, and Dan nodded "well, I'm good at keeping secrets – Ellington on the other hand…"

"Hey, I too can keep secrets!" Ellington said, sounding and looking offended.

Dan let out a faint laugh "It's er… It's just a place where I work. It's called 'the H.I.L.L.S. Unit' and it's hidden behind the hills in the Escalante Desert which is why it's called what it is."

"How did a British guy like you end up working there?" Riker asked, not really seeing how someone from another country can end up working in America at a place that even himself, being American and knowing the country pretty well, didn't even know existed.

"How did an Australian end up working there? How did an Italian end up working there? How did a Spanish girl end up working there? How did five average boys find themselves in such a mess?" Dan asked, rhetorically and looking fed up.

Riker and Ellington seen that Dan was clearly tired – but not because he needed sleep, but because of whatever this place is where he works and whatever happens there/what goes on.

And he wasn't wrong, before Dan started working there – he may not have been the happiest of teens – but he did smile and laugh a whole lot more than he does now. When he first came to the base he was the happiest he had ever been in a while but as the days and years continued to go on the gleam in his eye and the smile on his face slowly started to fade.

And it's happening with his friends too. He seen how much and how happy the likes of Ashton, Ross, Luke, Samara etc. used to smile and be happy, but he's watched all that slowly disappear from them all – even more so now.

Dan shook his head, feeling slightly bad for snapping and going off like that "Sorry, no, my friend – he was called Phil – he worked there before me and asked if I wanted to come join him. So I did."

"Are you glad you did?" Riker asked.

Dan stopped for a moment to think "In some cases, yes. In some cases, no. Sometimes it's more a no than a yes. Most of the time it's a yes just because of the people I've met there and the friends I've made, and a no for all the shit that goes on. For example, this situation I'm in now? I regret saying yes."

"Why? What's going on now?" Ellington asked.

Dan didn't say anything as he didn't want to scare them or send them into some sort of panic, but he had to in order to settle their nerves about the mystery of who Dan was and what he did and what the reason was for him being with them at this very moment in time.

"We have three bosses at the base – we had four, but… he did. He was the only good one out of the four of them. As for the other three… They're a whole new kind of evil. They set eighteen nuclear warheads to detonate which would destroy places, cities, countries and create a horrific future that I seen for myself. These three people from the future, 2037, came and got us and took us there to see everything and have everything explained to us where we came up with a plan before coming back here to stop it from happening. When we got here, we disarmed every warhead. Every single one – at least I hope so. But we forgot about a warhead that was on a plane so my friend, Luke, tried to disarm it but it wouldn't meaning it was going to explode. So myself, Luke, Phil and some others came up with a plan to put it in the Pacific Ocean 'cause the warheads we have are only powerful enough to take out a city and a few of its surrounding towns – the Pacific Ocean has places bigger than that so we decided there. Me and Luke are the only ones who can fly planes, Luke went to do it but I stopped him and took the plane myself. I drove it all the way into the Pacific Ocean and blacked out. Next thing I know, you're waking me up on the beach in LA. I should have been dead."

Riker and Ellington stayed quiet, not knowing what to think or say.

"And I don't know if the people I left behind have actually stopped Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, the three bosses, from doing what they planned – they thought that we got the warheads disarmed way too easily and there was something else going on… And the fact that there was patrol from there chasing us unnerves me."

"Do you think your friends are in danger?" Riker asked.

Dan shrugged "I don't know, which is why I need to get back. As long as Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are around, everyone where I work is in danger. The world is in danger. I mean, when I first started working at this place, I didn't sign up for this. I had no idea that all this was in store."

"Well, you must care a lot about the place and the people in it if you want to get back so badly," Riker said, where Dan furrowed his brow in some sort of confusement "Come on, Dan. From what you've told me, you know for a fact that if you go back there you're putting your life at risk – why do that when you're perfectly safe out here and were even more safe in LA? Yet, you're going back anyway. You wouldn't do that if you didn't care about the place or some of the people in it – alright, fair enough, you're saying the worlds in danger but still. Wouldn't your friends that are also trying to stop your bosses be able to take care of that?"

Dan stopped and thought about what Riker had just said, as he hadn't really thought about that before. And now that he was thinking about it, he started to realise how much he did actually care about the base and how much he did care about everyone he knew in there – some more than others, but still. He cared. A lot. More than he thought he did.

"You're right… I do… I mean… You don't do these sort of things unless you have a reason to. And my reason is that I care way too much about the lives of my friends that are in there," Dan then groaned, throwing his head back "I hate this caring stuff. I swear to God it's going to be the death of me." He said, making Riker and Ellington laugh as obviously Dan was one of these people that didn't have the caring feeling or refused to admit that he cares or has any feelings like that towards people – including his friends.

"By any chance is it a girl you care too much about?" Riker asked.

"Don't go down that road, I'm having enough trouble coping with the friendship kind of caring – don't go there with the love caring." Dan said, again making them laugh and himself a little.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes." Ellington said.

"Well, I'm gonna try sleep." Riker said, laying down on the floor.

"Same here."

Dan watched as the two boys laid down and shut their eyes to sleep before laying down himself and looking up between the gaps in the trees at the sky, watching the stars – thinking about what tomorrow may bring as he might actually get back to the base.

As it would define the events that were going to take place and inevitably happen.

Tomorrow was going to bring a hell of a lot – maybe too much for some people to handle.

Some parts would be good, some would be bad, some would be challenging and some would be upsetting.

After all…

In order to save the world, some sacrifices have to be made.

Even if it is your own life.

Tomorrow, March 29th, would be the day that defined and changed the future, and the lives of certain people, forever.

 ** _Next:_** _Needing A Hug_

* * *

 **Ohhh sheeets about to go down - it's about to go down.**

 **Also, I may update the next chapter tomorrow cos it's really short - I was thinking about merging it with this one but I don't have the energy, It's 1:30 a.m. haha.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on his love for Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on what Joe wants to talk to Samara about?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker & Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on everything that was said/mentioned with Dan?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**

 ** _Did you listen to Beside You as you read this or after?_**


	10. Needing A Hug

**MICHAEL AND PHIL FOLLOWED EACH OTHER IM CRYING & DAN FOLLOWS MICHAEL. WHY DID MICHAEL AND PHIL ALL OF A SUDDEN FOLLOW EACH OTHER THO, IS SOMETHING HAPPENING. TELL ME. **

_**Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 10  
** _Needing A Hug_ **  
**

"So, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?" Samara asked, following Joe as they were well away from the others.

Joe turned round to her "Why did you send Luke over to talk to me about Stacey?"

"'Cause… I thought it might have helped him with Ashton."

"How? How on Earth would that have helped with Ashton? Their situation is not remotely related to that."

Samara shrugged "I don't know… I was just watching Luke constantly be at his side and worrying himself so I thought he could have done with a break from him. I mean… Just watching the way Luke is acting with Ashton lately, I – and maybe you too – know for a fine fact he's going to go too far one day and do something stupid and either lose Ashton or somebody else in the process."

On one hand Joe did totally agree to what she had just said, but on the other he was annoyed and kind of confused. "Right, okay, fair enough, I agree, maybe he will but still. How would talking to me about Stacey give Luke that realisation or a break? He wasn't even paying that much attention – he kept looking at Ashton every chance he got whilst I talked to him. He doesn't and didn't care." Joe said, raising his voice a little, which made Samara scared by this new grown fury that seemed to unleashing itself inside Joe "why are you so interested in me and that lately?"

"What? This is the second time I've brought it up – I'm not interested at all. In fact, I couldn't care less about you or her!"

Joe glared at her and lunged as if he was going to hit her, but he refrained from doing so and breathed deeply.

"I don't see the big deal anyway, nobody even knows about her. The only people that do are Dan and Phil because they were at the base when she was! You never talk about her. You never even mention her. Why? It's not like it's going to kill you if you do – nobody's going to say anything bad. Why don't you talk about her? 'Cause you said to me that you still love her even though she's gone and dead and when you love someone you talk about them. Which is why I'm finding it hard to believe that you do still love her."

Suddenly, Joe grabbed Samara roughly by her arms which made her gasp in fright, as this was a side of Joe she or nobody has definitely not seen. "Oh, wow. Would you do that to Stacey if she pissed you off like I have?" Samara asked, taunting him which only made him squeeze her arms harder.

Samara tried to withstand it but she couldn't anymore as she felt like her skin was breaking "Okay—ow, Joe. I'm sorry—oww—I get the point—ow! Please you're hurting me!"

Joe was hit with sudden realisation with what he was doing and he shook his head, letting go of her "I'm… I'm sorry… I don't know what came over me." He said, looking and walking a fair distance away from her.

He then felt two arms wrap around him – obviously the person was hugging him and obviously the person was Samara. "It's fine. You just need a hug." She said, making Joe laugh softly and Samara smile.

But Joe's face fell.

 _"Oh my, God! Oh my, God! I am so sorry! Oh my, God! I did not mean to do that to you! Oh my, God!" Joe said, going over to Stacey quickly who he had just accidentally hit in the face after they were messing on._

 _Stacey rubbed her lip, seeing it was bleeding by the blood on her hand, but instead of flipping she laughed "Ha, look at that. You can hit like a man after all."_

 _Joe's mouth dropped open in offence "You know what, fuck you, I'm not sorry." He turned around with his back to her, going into some sort of sulk._

 _A few seconds later he felt two arms wrap around him – obviously the person was hugging him and obviously the person was Stacey. "I'm sorry." Joe said._

 _"It's fine. You just need a hug." She said, making Joe laugh softly._

"What's wrong?" Samara asked, as Joe hadn't spoken.

"Nothing… It's just… She used to say that to me all the time when I got wound up or angry 'cause… I got wound up or angry easily."

"Say what?"

"'its fine. You just need a hug'."

"Oh… Sorry… I-I didn't mean to bring back memories." She said, feeling bad.

Joe shook his head "It's fine… Oddly enough after you said that to me, I feel calmer," He said, where then he realised something "You're still holding onto me." He said, as Samara still had her arms wrapped round him.

"Oh, sorry." She said, taking her arms from round him.

Joe faced her "Not to sound morbid or anything, but good job Dan's not here otherwise he wouldn't have liked that," He said, jokingly and making Samara laugh softly "why aren't you two together?" He asked.

"What?"

"Well, I know why you're not together now – he's dead. But… Why weren't you before? Like… You both had so many good opportunities but neither of you took it," He said, and Samara stayed quiet "I mean, I have had a conversation about this with Dan before… and you know how awkward he is when communicating his feelings," Joe said, making Samara laugh "why?" he asked.

Samara shrugged "Eh, just er… Not really feeling it."

Joe scoffed, not believing that for a second "Yeah, right, and I'm the president of America. I know it's too late for you both to date now but—"

"And it's a good thing we never, 'cause now he's dead and that'd have hurt more than it does now."

Joe looked her up and down with a curious look "You're such a complicated and secretive person."

Samara shrugged, as though it was nothing and she was proud of it. "Why should I tell you about why I won't date him? This is the most I've ever talked to you in a while."

"Alright, jeez. Now who's the one who needs a hug?" Joe asked, walking by her to get back to the others.

 **Date: March 29th**

In a flash of light, Courtney, Mia, Ashley and Landon all appeared in the forest – but they were thrown to the floor by the wrist-Epoch transporting them. They all groaned in some form of pain. "Argh, what the hell?!" Landon said, lying on the floor.

"It's never done that before." Courtney said, getting on her knees and looking at it. She sighed heavily "Great. It transported us to tomorrow which is technically today." She said, annoyed.

"Well, now what?" Mia asked.

"Erm… Hope they're still somewhere here. Find them, hatch up a plan and… get on with it basically." Courtney got up from the floor along with the others.

"Can't we just use the wrist-Epoch to find them?" Ashley asked.

Courtney shook her head "No. They're obviously playing up so we're going to have to do this the hard way. Come on!" She said, walking away from them before they all followed her.

 ** _Next:_** _An Accidental & Purposeful Kill_

* * *

 **29 chapters until the end... Shit.**

 **OOOOO SNAP. IT'S MARCH 29TH. REMEMBER THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER WITH WHAT WAS SAID. & I may update again today or tomorrow given how short this chapter was.**

 **Also, if Joe came across as abusive at any point in this chapter, I didn't mean for him to. He's not & was never like that.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW.**

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _thoughts on what Joe & Samara said about Dan & Samara?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	11. An Accidental & Purposeful Kill

**Love you guys... *smiles nervously***

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 11  
** _An Accidental & Purposeful Kill_ **  
**

Ross, Rocky, Ashton, Luke, Joe, Caspar and everyone else were on the move again – very quickly because they had seen some patrol in the distance from where they slept that night. They'd split up into small groups, but made sure they were all heading in the same direction to make sure they all met back up again.

The first group was Rocky, Rydel and Calum, the second was Luke, Ashton and Michael and finally Ross, Joe, Caspar, Phil and Samara. The groups would have been smaller but surprise, surprise Luke refused to be separated from Ashton after the state he was in yesterday.

There was a patrol member walking around carefully, watching everywhere behind and in front of him, and holding a gun, as he crept through the forest. That was until he heard a whistle from above.

He looked up, seeing Rocky who was up in a tree and he quickly jumped down, landing on top of the patrol member. He got up as fast as he jumped down and kicked him in the face as he tried to shoot him, and after Rocky grabbed the gun and shot the man dead.

As Rydel and Calum got down from the tree, Rocky searched the patrol guy for anything else that he might have on him that may become useful to them. All he found were spare bullets and a pocket knife which Rocky gladly took. He also took the satchel backpack he was wearing to put the bullets and knife in.

"It feels nice to finally have weapons to defend myself with." Rocky said.

"Great. Now let's go." Rydel said, where they took off again and started running whilst Rocky began to trail behind "come on, Rocky!"

"I'm hurrying!"

Rydel and Calum kept running, Rydel being further ahead. She gasped as she came to an abrupt stop – stopping Calum as he went to continue running. "What?!" Calum asked.

"Do you not see the river in front of you?!"

Calum looked and seen a river that looked very rapid and vicious. Rydel's eyes widened "Oh, no…" She said, in realisation as she remembered something.

"What?" Calum asked.

"A river."

"And?" Calum asked, confused as to why she seemed so panicked.

Rydel looked at Calum as though he was speaking a foreign language "Remember when we were finding out how Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton died?" Rydel asked, Calum nodded "Luke died drowning in a river because he fell in it. Guess what Calum. This _is_ the river he dies in drowning!"

"Thanks for waiti—whoa!" Rocky said, almost going over the edge of the river.

"I think as long as Luke doesn't show u—too late." Calum said, thinking that maybe if Luke doesn't find the river with Michael and Ashton he won't fall in it and die, but that thought went down the drain as the three of them had arrived.

"Guys!" Luke waved, raising his voice. He went to walk over to them, being dangerously close to the edge of the river.

"NO LUKE DON'T!" Rydel shouted, making him stay still "stay where the hell you are and don't move!"

Luke obeyed. He wouldn't have but Rydel's never shouted at him and it scared him.

Rocky looked around where he seen patrol officers "Oh, shit. Now what?" Rocky asked, not seeing any other escape.

Rydel looked at Calum "This would be a very good time to use your wrist-Epoch to get us away from here."

Calum shook his head "No. If Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are monitoring us with them trackers they're gonna become suspicious when it vanishes and reappears again. They'll only send out more patrol."

Rocky thought for a moment when an idea struck him "Hey… They've sent us out here to watch us all kill and fight each other, right?" Rocky asked, as patrol got closer.

"Right."

"So… What if me and Ashton or me and Luke or Luke and Ashton made it look as though we're or they're fighting… Pretending. Maybe they might leave us alone…"

"You could try… But how are you gonna tell Luke and Ashton without shouting. Patrol will hear you." Rydel said.

"Watch."

Rocky took off his satchel backpack and only kept the knife – he motioned for Rydel and Calum to stay put where he began walking over to Luke and Ashton, looking as though he was furious to the patrol officers. He got over to them both.

"Hey, is everything alr—WHOA!" Luke shouted, as Rocky grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and threw him against a tree.

"Rocky!" Ashton grabbed him by the shoulder, but Rocky shrugged him off.

"I'm not angry with you, I'm making it look as though I am. There's some patrol officers over there… We figured that Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey have sent them here because we're not fighting each other… So… If we make it look like we're fighting and trying to kill each other… Maybe they might leave us alone."

"Well, Ashton can't pretend – he's still not in a good state from yesterday." Luke said.

"So you're willing to play fight with me?" Rocky asked.

"Please don't break me."

"I make no promises," Rocky said, smiling at Luke which unnerved him even though they were pretending "When I say 'go'… Start 'fighting' back, alright?" Rocky asked, Luke nodded "Ash, you got the plan?"

Ashton nodded "Got it."

There was a short silence as patrol were getting even closer.

"Go."

Luke punched Rocky in the face so he let go of him. "OW! I said pretend." Rocky said, through gritted teeth and quietly so they weren't heard by patrol.

"Well we've gotta make it look real…" Luke said.

Rocky lunged at Luke who dodged him, making Rocky almost collide into a tree. Before Luke knew it, Rocky turned round and tackled him harshly to the ground "Alright, you want real. I'll give ya real."

 **Location: The Roof, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Renzo was brought out onto the roof in handcuffs by some guards where Priscilla was. "Hi." She said, smiling.

All Renzo did was glare at her, where then he noticed a rope going from one end of the roof to the other. "So… I talked to your friends – Ryan and Bailey. Neither would admit to who it was that helped you. I mean, who would when they know that the most likely punishment is going to be them dying?"

"Where's this going?" Renzo asked.

"Since they didn't admit, I've decided to test your friendship. Which one do you care about the most? Who would you let live and who would you let die?" Priscilla asked, where Renzo stayed silent "go to the end of the rope."

The guards took off Renzo's handcuffs and he walked to the edge of the roof nervously and looked over it where he seen Bailey dangling by the rope that was tied round his wrists. "Oh my, God, Renzo! Help me!" Bailey said in absolute fear for his life.

Renzo looked back at Priscilla before running to the other end of the rope to see Ryan dangling from the rope too – but upside down as his feet were tied to it. "Ryan!" Renzo said.

"Renzo! Jesus Christ I have never been so happy to see you in my LIFE!" Ryan said, relieved yet still petrified.

Renzo looked back at Priscilla who was grinning. "You save one and pull them back over, the other end goes flying downwards towards the floor and the person at the end of that side of the rope falls to their death. Choose wisely." Priscilla said, exiting the roof with the guards.

Renzo heard the door lock, meaning he couldn't leave the roof in any way to go get some help off someone. He ran his hands through his hair, panicking as he didn't know who to save and he couldn't think of a way to save them both.

It was almost impossible.

 **Location: Mammoth Creek, Dixie National Forest, Utah**

Rocky screamed in pain as Luke twisted is arm. "Are we done pretending?" Luke asked.

Rocky shook his head "No, patrol's still there." He said, even though he wanted nothing more but to stop pretending. Luke was brutal – and he was starting to think he was doing it on purpose due to the amount of times Rocky's wound him up in the past about many things.

Rydel and Calum watched nervously from where they stood as the pair were getting dangerously close to the river.

"Can you go easy? I mean I know we're trying to make it look real, but damn. You're gonna break one of my bones!"

"Sorry…" Luke said.

He let go of him but Rocky turned round and hit him in the face which made Luke glare at him before tackling him to the floor, being way too close for comfort at the edge of the river which was unnerving Rydel, Calum, Michael and Ashton.

Rocky and Luke started scrapping on the floor which started to get a bit too intense and they seemed to be getting a little bit too carried away with it.

Luke got up from the floor and went to go jump back onto Rocky when Rocky grabbed hold of Luke by his arms and threw him over his head – forgetting they were at the edge of the river.

"LUKE!" Ashton shouted.

Luke went flying over Rocky's head and straight into the river.

Rocky's eyes widened when he realised and he got up "OH SHIT! NO! LUKE!" Rocky shouted, fearing for his friend's life as Luke couldn't swim.

Ashton ran to the edge of the river, trying to see him but he couldn't – meaning Luke was gone and more than likely dead. Rocky ran his hands through his hair in disbelief "No… Oh, no, no, no…"

He'd just accidentally killed Luke. One of his closest friends.

And he'd just killed him.

"LUKE!" Ashton shouted, becoming hysterical. He'd only just lost Brad, he couldn't lose Luke too. Not in the space of twenty-four hours.

The boys looked on the river where to their relief Luke popped up but his head was bleeding as he had obviously hit it on a rock falling in. "LUKE!" Ashton shouted. But it was too late. Luke passed out and went back under.

If Luke wasn't dead before, he was definitely going to be dead now.

"NO! Luke! No…" Ashton collapsed to the floor on his knees, beginning to cry.

Rocky couldn't even move from where he was as he was in too much shock that he had just done what he did.

Rydel and Calum glanced at each other shocked. "Rydel…" Calum said, she didn't respond "I-I think… the future that was meant to happen in the first place just has just been put back on track…"

Seconds later, Ross made an appearance at the river with Phil, Joe, Caspar and Samara. He seen Rocky frozen on the floor and Ashton also being on the floor, but crying, as well as Rydel and Calum coming towards them.

"Where's Luke?" Ross asked.

Ashton looked at Rocky "Rocky just fucking killed him." He got up off the floor and lunged at him.

Ross stopped Ashton "Whoa!" Ross looked down at Rocky who was purely shocked "Rocky…"

Rocky looked up at them both, almost having tears in his eyes and he stood up "I-I didn't mean to. We were pretending to fight to make patrol go away – y-you know, to make it seem as though we're trying to kill each other – and we got too carried away and he went to jump on me so I grabbed hold of him and threw him over my head and I forgot we were at the edge of the river and he went in!" Rocky explained, his voice raising in pitch as he honestly felt like crying himself – if not, just as much as Ashton was.

Ross went to the edge of the river to look and see if he could see Luke when he felt a hand on his back which pushed him, where Ross fell into the river screaming – getting carried away by the current like Luke did.

"ASHTON!" Rocky shouted.

"Whoops. Accident." Ashton said, flatly as it was obvious he intended to do it.

Ashton smiled at Rocky "Now we're even."

 ** _Next:_** _Familiar Faces_

* * *

 **Fuuuuuccckkkk. Out comes a different side to Ashton nobody's seen yet.**

 _ **2 REVIEWS OR MORE IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky & Luke before their plan went down the drain?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Who do you think he'll save?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky accidentally killing Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton pushing Ross in the river in the attempt to kill him?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	12. Familiar Faces

**Soz for the wait on the updates. I kinda still wanna be writing this when I go to the 5 Seconds of Summer concerts & The Vamps ones bc it's the first time I'm seeing 5SOS live & ya'll are gonna wanna hear my experience after the times/stories I've came back with from going to see R5 & The Vamps.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 12  
** _Familiar Faces_ **  
**

"I can't believe you just killed Ross!" Rocky said, raising his voice and very tempted to down Ashton to the floor right here, right now.

"I can't believe you just killed Luke!" Ashton retorted.

"I was an accident! I never intended to do it!"

"Then why did you throw him over your head, knowing you were on the edge of a river and that he can't swim?!" Ashton asked, beginning to shout as he was more than furious. If it wasn't for the fact that he was nice, kind and caring, Rocky would be following Ross and Luke and meeting them on the other side.

"I forgot!"

Everyone stayed silent, staying out of this argument, as Rocky and Ashton death glared each other which unnerved everyone. "Guys… Calm down, alright?" Phil asked, trying to stop them from fighting as he was sure that there was a way they would sort something out – even with 3/5 of them gone and dead.

Rocky kept glaring at Ashton "You're lucky that I hate Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey right now more than I do you otherwise you'd be following in Ross, Brad and Luke's footsteps."

"Same here." Ashton said, not breaking eye contact with him.

To Phil, Samara, Joe, Michael and everyone else, it was clear that there was a new grown hatred between Rocky and Ashton – but it wasn't something for them to be worried about yet. The hate between them both will definitely be something to worry about after, or if, they stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey and everything's gone back to normal as Rocky and Ashton may become enemies over this and attempt to kill one another for the sake and in the name of Ross and Luke.

Joe cleared his throat "S-should we keep going to avoid more patrol?" Joe asked.

"Yeah, come on." Rocky said, not breaking eye contact with Ashton before beginning to lead the way.

Everyone walked away apart from Ashton who stayed still where he stood which Rydel noticed. She stayed where she was too "Come on, Ash, or we'll lose everyone." Rydel said.

Ashton didn't say a word.

Rydel walked back over and stood in front of him.

Ashton looked completely numb. He didn't look like the kind, caring and loving Ashton everyone knows him to be any more, which was scary. He looked like a complete stranger.

"I know it's a stupid question but… What's wrong?" She asked.

"I have no one left. Brad's dead and now Luke is." Ashton said.

Rydel sighed "It'll be alright."

"Will it?"

Rydel nodded "Yeah. As long as you and Rocky stick together and try not to argue you can take down and kill Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey – make the world safe again."

"That's not going to bring Ross, Brad and Luke back."

"Yes it will. After you've killed Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, use a wrist-epoch to save them from dying and bring them back to the future to the time you're at. That way nothing gets affected and the world is safe."

"Really?" Ashton questioned.

Rydel nodded with a smile "Yeah, really. Well, we can at least give it a good go," She said, making Ashton laugh softly "but just please remember something… Something you might have heard before…"

"What?" Ashton asked.

"Where there's death, there will always be death – just to keep the world and nature in balance."

"So, basically, we'll save Ross, Brad and Luke only for three other people we know to die?" Ashton asked.

"Do you care as long as they're alive?"

"Not really."

"There we go."

Ashton patted her on the shoulder before going in the direction the others went in. Rydel sighed as her face fell.

Why did she feel like she just made a huge mistake telling Ashton that?

Courtney, Mia, Landon and Ashley had been wondering around the forest for ages and all they had found were cloths from clothes and burnt out fires that were obviously from Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton. Right now, they had come to a cliff top and were looking around.

Courtney jumped and gasped when she seen Oakley's dead body on the floor as well as some patrol officers. She walked over, seeing he had been shot several times in multiple places. "Someone messed him up well." Mia said, taking a look for herself and grimacing at the sight.

"You're telling me…" Courtney said.

"Did they do this?" Ashley asked, referring to Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and Brad.

"Obviously. Who else would?" Landon asked.

Courtney walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down "Oh, God."

"What?" Mia asked, going over and looking over the edge with Courtney, and when she did she gasped "Brad."

"Come on." Courtney said, seeing a little ramp that went downwards.

She went to go over but they all heard voices. The four looked behind them where they seen a gang of patrol coming their way – but they hadn't seen them yet thankfully. "We can't go check on Brad, we'll only get caught." Courtney said.

"But what if he's still alive and needs help?" Mia asked.

"Mia, he's not alive. He's dead. The tracker said it, itself."

"And what if the trackers wrong?"

Patrol were starting to get closer which was starting to unnerve all of them. "Guys, we can't even risk it. They're getting closer." Ashley said. Even though she liked Brad a lot and wanted nothing more than to help him and see if there was even the slightest chance of bringing him back to life, they just couldn't. They were putting their own lives at stake doing so.

"Well, what are we gonna do? Run from patrol and find Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton or check on Brad and risk getting caught and killed by patrol?" Courtney asked.

They all looked at patrol and back to Courtney – not really knowing themselves as they were starting to gain on them.

"Why don't we get him? I'll carry him. Then we can check on him when we're away from patrol." Landon said.

"Are you really going to be able to carry him by yourself?" Courtney asked, not believing he would be for a second.

Landon shrugged "Only one way to find out."

Courtney sighed, being unsure and getting really frustrated "I don't know…"

"Well hurry up and make a decision!" Ashley raised her voice.

 **Location: Mammoth Creek, Dixie National Forest, Utah**

"Are we even going in the right direction to where you need to be?" Ellington asked, as he, Riker and Dan were now walking along the edge of a river.

"I think so. We just need to get across the other side of this river." Dan said.

"Well, what are we gonna do? Swim? The current will take us back to where we started." Riker said.

"No, there'll be some rocks down here hopefully that we can jump across."

The boys kept walking, with Ellington trailing behind a bit, until Ellington slipped over on the rocks they were walking across. He groaned in pain, but also being relieved he didn't fall into the river "Ow… Can-can we take a break?" Ellington asked.

"Ellington, come on. Stop being a wuss. We can have a break when we're on the other side of the river." Riker said, as he and Dan had come to a halt to wait for him to get back up.

"Yeah, but jumping across a river is going to take a lot more energy than walking."

Riker rolled his eyes "Me and Dan will just continue without you and you'll be lost in the woods forever."

Ellington sighed, going to get up when something caught his eye "Oh my, God, look!" Ellington said, pointing.

Dan and Riker looked to where he was pointing, seeing a body in the river which was coming in their direction towards the rocks. Riker and Dan got to the edge to look at the body but they couldn't make out who it was – not that they would know who it was. For all they know it could be some stranger that fell in by accident or someone that just attempted to commit suicide.

The body floated towards them and the two boys outstretched their arms as far as they could to grab hold of the person. They grabbed them by the back of their shirt and dragged him onto the land where Dan seen the face of the person and who he was.

His eyes widened "Oh my, God, Luke!" Dan said, rolling him over onto his back.

"Wait, you know him?" Riker asked.

"Yeah, he's one of my friends. What the hell is he doing here?!" Dan asked, panicked for Luke's life and nervous because that meant Luke and the others hadn't stopped Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey.

Dan pressed on Luke's chest as hard as he could a couple times before Luke started coughing up water and gasping for breath, still being on the floor. "Luke, Luke!" Dan said, shaking him.

After getting his breath back and getting all the water to leave his body, Luke opened his eyes to see Dan hovering above him "Dan… Am I dead?" He asked, his voice being raspy.

Dan shook his head "No, you're alive."

"But… I thought… you should be dead."

"I know I should be but I was wearing a wrist-epoch that I didn't know about and it transported me onto a beach in LA where I met these two – Riker and Ellington."

Luke sat up, looking at them both. Dan helped Luke up off the floor "Why aren't you at the base?" Dan asked "I thought you guys had stopped everything."

Luke shook his head "We didn't stop them – well, we stopped the warheads from detonating but… the evil trio is still alive. They put all of us out here in this forest to kill each other. They said if we haven't done it in a month they'd set them off and destroy everything. But we're not going to kill each other – we're trying to come up with a plan but it's not working. They put these microchips in our arms that detect where we are and they stop working slash flashing when we're dead."

"Damn, that's fucked up. Where are the others?" Dan asked.

"Well, I imagine Ashton's probably kicking Rocky's ass for accidentally throwing me in the river, because knowing them they all probably think I'm dead 'cause I can't swim… Ross – I don't know where he is. It's probably for the best right and Brad… He's… He's dead," Luke said, making Dan's face fall "he and Ashton fell off a cliff top here in the woods 'cause they were getting chased by patrol. Ashton landed on the grass, he still hurt and knocked himself out, but Brad landed in a load of rocks that were at the bottom of the cliff. It killed him."

"Oh, wow… Sorry…"

"It's fine. Well, it's not but you get the point," He said. After a few seconds Luke breathed deeply "Well, I'm freezing and very wet. So… We better find the others and start a big ass fire."

Dan let out a small laugh "Alright, but what about these two?"

"Eh, they can tag along. We'll get them home after."

Ellington stared at Luke for a short while as though he was in some sort of trance before snapping out of it "Hang on a minute… I've met you before." Ellington said.

"What?" Luke asked, confused.

"Yeah… I swear I've met you before."

Luke furrowed his brow "Are you sure about that?"

Ellington got up off the floor "No, I have! I met you somewhere else!"

Luke shook his head "Don't think you have… I'd remember meeting someone like you."

Ellington tried to think, searching in his mind from where he recognised Luke from "No… I swear… I swear we have! But… Where..?" He asked, now becoming confused.

Dan looked at Ellington and then at Luke who looked like he knew something Dan didn't – he was obviously lying to Ellington and Dan could sense that from Luke's facial expression as he locked eyes with Dan and his body language. "Anyway! Let's find a way across this river because… Everyone else is on the other side of it." He said, turning round to guide the way.

A little but further down the river, a short while later, another body washed up onto the land – Ross.

He coughed up all the water inside his body and laid on the ground, barely being able to move after being pushed in the river. He could barely see straight.

He heard footsteps near and coming towards him.

He looked up and seen a blurred figure, but he couldn't make out who it was. After staring and trying to concentrate hard, Ross blacked out completely where then the blurred figure grabbed hold of Ross and picked him up as best as they could before throwing him over their shoulder and taking him elsewhere.

 ** _Next:_** _Surprises_

* * *

 **Oh mer gersh. Satan brought characters in her story who had died back to life, someone make sure she's fine & not dying of an illness.**

 **Also... We're 6 chapters - SIX CHAPTERS - away from the half way point which is where the story starts to go by & end fast & I'm not ready okay bye.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on their friendship now?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mia?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him still being alive? Did you think he was permanently dead?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Were you expecting him to alive or dead?_**

 ** _Thoughts on who you think it is that helped Ross at the end?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	13. Surprises

**Why is nobody reading? Have you all lost interest? Cos if so bare with me, wait a few chapters, it's about to get interesting trust me.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 13  
** _Surprises_ **  
**

 **Location: The Roof, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Esclanate Desert, Utah**

Renzo stood in the middle of the roof, still panicking as he didn't know who to save out of Bailey and Ryan – there wasn't even a way he could cheat and save both. He ran over to Bailey's side and looked over the edge where he was still holding on and dangling from the rope. "Renzo! Oh my, God, please save me! Don't let me die!" Bailey begged, through panic and fear.

"Hold on, hold on… I'm thinking… Oh my, God…" Renzo said, trying to think but his mind was going completely fuzzy.

There was literally no way to save both. If he untied Bailey and got him back onto the roof, the weight of Ryan would pull the rope down and he'd fall to his death – the only thing that was keeping the two boys hanging was the equality of the weight on both sides. Renzo ran from Bailey's side to Ryan's.

"Renzo!" Bailey shouted, thinking that he wasn't going to save him.

Renzo looked over the edge where Ryan dangled by his foot. "The blood in my body is rushing to my head, Renzo, do something!" Ryan said, raising his voice as his face was in fact going red.

Renzo wiped his face and ran his hands through his as he was becoming stressed. He went to run back over to Bailey's side but stopped when he got in the middle of the roof and turned round to back to Ryan's, but he stopped again and stayed in the middle of the roof, being on the verge of a mental breakdown.

That was when there was a flash of blue light next to him and he looked to see… Rocky.

His eyes widened "Rocky?!"

"Go save Bailey, I've got Ryan don't worry." Rocky said, typing coordinates in on the wrist-epoch he was wearing after throwing Renzo a knife to cut the rope with. Rocky seen Renzo staring at him in shock still "Go!" Rocky said, running over to Ryan's side of the roof.

Renzo ran to Bailey's side "Grab onto my arm with your arm that's not tied to the rope."

"What about Ryan?" Bailey asked.

"Rocky's just appeared out of nowhere. He's got him apparently."

Bailey grabbed Renzo's arm with his spare hand as Renzo began cutting the rope. It took a short while as the rope was quite thick, but it eventually snapped. Bailey screamed, feeling himself drop a bit even with Renzo holding onto him with one hand. Renzo acted fast to grab Bailey's other arm with his other hand and he began pulling him back over onto the roof.

"Oh my, God, thank you so much…" Bailey said, being half on the floor as he had his arms wrapped around Renzo's waist, being more than relieved.

Renzo tapped him on the top of his head "No problem."

He directed Bailey to where Ryan was dangling and they looked over the edge to see he was gone – he wasn't even on the floor dead, to their surprise. The two boys turned around when they heard a flash sound only to see Rocky reappear with Ryan stood next to him, and the rope still tied to his foot. He looked traumatised after that.

"Well, my work here's done – I better go now, bye!" Rocky said.

"NO!" Renzo shouted, but Rocky disappeared before Renzo could grab hold of him "what the hell just happened?!" He asked, shouting as he was more than confused.

 **Location: Mammoth Creek, Dixie National Forest, Utah**

Dan, Luke, Riker and Ellington had made it to the other side of the river at long last. Luke was leading the way with Ellington walking next to him, still questioning him "Are you sure we haven't met before?" Ellington asked.

"I'm pretty sure we haven't." Luke said.

"I know, but… I swear we have."

"Trust me, I remember every face of the person I meet – even if it is only for a few hours in a day. I don't recognise you, I don't know you, I've never seen you before in my life. We have never met before this."

Ellington sighed, standing still as Luke kept walking as he was almost 100% sure the two had met before but he didn't know where. "Leave him alone, Ellington." Riker said, as he and Dan caught up.

Riker and Ellington walked together behind Luke as Dan tried to catch up with him. "Riker, I'm not lying or making this up. I've seen him before." Ellington said.

"Maybe it was in a dream or something."

"Maybe…" Ellington said, seeming unsure.

Dan finally caught up to Luke, walking beside him and talking quietly so Riker and Ellington couldn't hear him "So, is there a reason as to why he thinks he's met you before?" Dan asked.

"Maybe." Luke said.

"I'm taking that as a yes."

"Long story short. Zombie apocalypse. Met him just outside the desert where I found Ross, Rocky, Brad and those two."

"What? Both of them?" Dan questioned, being surprised.

Luke nodded "Yeah, they were both there. Riker got killed at the gate of the base before I got killed and Ellington made it to the end with Ross – but he obviously didn't and got killed somehow 'cause he doesn't remember."

"Oh, okay…" Dan said, finding it a bit weird how they had been brought back together again.

"But I find it weird how Riker was there but he's not saying that he's met me before and insisting he has like Ellington is. Why's that?" Luke asked.

"Well it depends on how close he got to the end of the apocalypse with Ross. Did he make it to the Epoch Room and die there for some reason?"

Luke shrugged "I don't know. I was dead otherwise I'd tell you."

"Alright, let's just assume he did – and Ross thought he was dead. But he wasn't. He was still alive, just on the brink of death, not being quite sure himself if he was alive or not. So, when Ross turned back time at that moment it stayed with him as a clear dream but only a dream. A dream that feels real, but you wake up and realise it's not." Dan explained.

"I thought everyone that couldn't remember it would only remember it as a dream, nothing more."

"They would, but only an unclear one. They're not sure what the dream is, they can only make out certain parts of it. You need to get Ellington talking about why he thinks you two have met and make him talk about the dream."

"Why can't you? You have a better understanding of this than I do."

"I wasn't there with you guys though. I was in the UK making my way there."

"Yeah, but wouldn't you have had to have died to wake up back when everything was normal and when Ross stopped it?" Luke asked, Dan nodded "how did you die?"

"Erm… Well, me and Joe had finally got one of the ships started and began driving it towards the USA but before that Joe had a zombie attack him in the docks which we got rid of pretty fast – it didn't look like it at first but the zombie bit him. He was trying to keep it a secret but he could only keep it a secret for so long – that secret came out in the middle of the ocean when he could barely move and kept hallucinating. He couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't anymore. I had to kill him to put him out of his misery. But little did I know down in the very bottom of the ship, there were zombies there. So I got chased by them, there were too many for me to fight on my own and I ended up going overboard and drowning."

Luke laughed "Ironic. You died drowning after falling off a ship in the sea, but you crash a plane into the sea yet you wash up on the shores of LA when you should've drowned or died from radiation poisoning."

"A little"

 **Location: Dixie National Forest, Utah**

It had been a few hours and Rocky, Ashton, Phil, Joe, Caspar, Samara, Michael, Rydel and Calum had stopped in the middle of the forest for a short break after getting well away from the river and patrol.

Rocky and Ashton still weren't talking to one another, they wouldn't so much as glace each other unless they were throwing one another small glares.

Samara stood with Joe, Caspar and Phil, watching them whilst the others kept an eye out for patrol "I can't stand seeing them like this."

"Yeah, same…" Caspar said, watching them both.

A branch snapped on the ground followed by footsteps, which got everyone's attention. They turned around, thinking that some patrol had found them, but instead they seen Courtney, Mia, Landon and Ashley – which was surprising, yet relieving, to them both. "What are you guys doing here?!" Rocky asked, he then pointed at Courtney "you're dead!" He said, confused.

"We came to find and help you come up with a plan that won't get you killed to kill Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey. Also, I'll explain why I'm not dead later," Courtney said, and Rocky gave her a 'fair enough' facial expression "also… we brought you a little surprise."

Courtney moved out of the way where Ross stood – now dry-ish – and he waved at them. "Oh my, God, Ross!" Rocky said, relieved and happy, going over and hugging him. He pulled away from the hug, not looking behind Ross and stepping away from him.

"Yeah, they found me in the river—well, they didn't. Someone else did." Ross said.

"Who?" Ashton asked, confused because nobody else could possibly be in the forest that they knew.

"You know, despite you pushing me into the river… I've got a little surprise for you too. Keyword: little."

Ashton felt himself becoming relieved and happy as that meant it was Luke – it had to be because Luke was in the river and pretty much flowed in the same direction Ross did after Ashton pushed him in. Ross moved out of the way to reveal him, where to everyone's surprise…

Brad stood there.

More than alive.

But he still had cuts and bruises all over him from the fall, especially on his face.

"Brad!" Ashton said, going over and basically suffocating him in a hug, kissing his head in the process.

"Ash, I'm not breathing. Ashton!" Brad said, feeling like his ribs were about to cave in.

Ashton pulled away from the hug "Sorry…" He said. Even though Brad wasn't Luke, he was still just as relieved and happy to see him there and alive just as much as he would have if it was Luke.

"Any more cuts and bruises and I swear to god I'm gonna have to have plastic surgery to give me a proper face again." Brad said, jokingly as his cuts and bruises were pretty bad.

"How are you alive? When me, Ross and Luke checked you were dead, there was no waking you up."

"No I wasn't. My heartbeat was just very, very, very slow and it was slowing down more and more as time went on. These guys found me and used one of their wrist-epoch's to go back to a time where I wasn't wanted by Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, and they took me to a hospital until I was capable to move. And well… Here I am. A few weeks older than I was when you last seen me. Although, technically, it was in the past so therefore I haven't really aged – I don't know how ageing goes with time travel." Brad explained, making Ashton laugh a little.

"Has everyone still got their wrist-epoch's?" Courtney asked.

"I'm the only one who still has mine." Calum said.

Courtney went into her backpack and got out all the wrist-epoch's she had taken from Isaac's room at the base, and giving everyone who was once had one them back – which was Brad, Ross, Michael, Calum and Rydel. But Calum still had his so there was no point.

Ross gave his wrist-epoch to Joe as soon as Courtney gave him it "I think you'll need it and have a better understanding of how it works more than I do." He said, as Joe took it from him.

Once everyone had their wrist-epoch's back, Courtney over to each one and did something to them all, taking a short while to do so. "What are you doing to them?" Rydel asked.

"I've linked them all up together so that if we get split up and we use them to transport ourselves elsewhere, everyone else who has a wrist-epoch will transport to the exact same place so we're together again – even the people who don't have them will transport to so long as they're within three or four metres distance from the people who do have wrist-epoch's," Courtney explained "don't worry, I'll unlink them when we get back to the base. And trust me that should be pretty soon."

Phil tried to speak but was stopped by something he seen in the background "Oh my, God, we're never going to get rid of them." He said, sounding fed up and like he was about to give up.

Everyone turned round where they seen patrol heading their way. Rocky groaned, as that meant they all had to split up again "Right, the Epoch's are linked now – once we've escaped, just transport yourself somewhere safe in the woods and we'll all end up there. Just go with someone who's got one!" Rocky said, before everyone ran in different directions.

Rocky ended up with Rydel and Caspar, Ross ended up with Michael and Phil, Ashton ended up with Brad and Mia, Calum wound up with Courtney, Mia, Ashley and Landon and Joe ended up with Samara, as it was just the direction the pair ran in.

The patrol officers got to where the group were and were looking around for them and couldn't see them as they were nowhere in sight – that was until they seen a pair running off together in the distance which meant it was two of who they were looking for "GO! THAT WAY!"

Samara heard one of the patrol officers shout and turned her head as she ran, seeing patrol coming her and Joe's way. "Oh my, God, they're coming for us!"

Joe noticed and began to panic. Samara wasn't exactly running very fast so he grabbed her hand and started running with her in the hope that it sped her up and it did, thankfully. That was when patrol started shooting at them.

The two weren't paying attention to the ground as they ran, being more focused on dodging the bullets as they were being shot at and whatever else they were throwing/firing at them, which was their downfall as they failed to notice a hole in the ground and unfortunately when they noticed it, it was too late because they fell down it, right to the bottom of the ditch.

Joe groaned, getting up from the floor slowly with Samara who was laid on the floor next to him in pain too. Joe looked up, seeing that the top of the ditch may be in his reach and that he might be able to get back up and escape. "Samara, I think I can get us back up. Are you alright with climbing?" Joe asked.

She sat up on the floor and started to get up "I can try."

Joe put his hands together and put them out to give Samara boost so she could climb up – he wanted her to get out first as she was a girl and if he got caught at least she could get back to the others even though he had the wrist-epoch out of the two of them.

After the boost, Samara managed to get to the top and climb out.

Joe waited for her to look back over but she didn't "Samara?" Joe called.

Nothing.

"Samara!"

Still nothing.

He sighed before going backwards and giving himself a run up, jumping and grabbing onto the nearest grab-able thing and he began to climb up. He got to the top of the ditch and looked over where a gun was instantly aimed at him.

He looked to see someone from patrol and two other patrol officers having hold of Samara. Joe sighed.

They were gonners.

They were both pretty much as good as dead now.

 ** _Next:_** _ Arc 3 of 5: Unknown_

* * *

 **You don't realise how fast this story is about to go & end. No idea.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky at the start with the three above?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Were you expecting him to still be alive?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe & Samara?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	14. Unknown

_**Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 14  
** _Unknown_ **  
**

Dan, Luke, Riker and Ellington were back in the middle of the forest, searching for the others, with Luke leading the way as to where he thought they could be – even though there was multiple directions the others could have gone in. But they had been walking around for at least a good two hours and Luke no longer had a single clue as to where they were, where to go or where anybody else could be.

He sighed, stopping in his tracks "I don't know anymore. We're not gonna see them for a while – a few days at the most."

"Why don't we just make our way back to the base?" Dan asked.

"You can if you want. I've got a microchip in my arm that tells them where I am, if they see I'm going to them they'll either send out people to kill me or they'll set more warheads to detonate and let them off."

"I'm not leaving you behind." Dan said.

"No, honestly, Dan, it's fine. We've put you in enough danger as it is."

"Well, I'm not leaving you behind. I'm not leaving the others behind either now that I know they're here. We're in this together now whether you like it or not. And if we die—you know what, I'll save this inspirational and emotional speech for later," Dan said, quickly becoming awkward and feeling a cringe attack coming on from what he was about to say, which made Luke laugh a little "just know that I'm not leaving. But seriously, they've gotta be—"

 ** _SNAP_**

Everyone turned and looked around in panic, mainly due to the fact they couldn't see anything that had made the noise.

"What was that..?" Riker asked, the slightest bit of fear being evident in his voice.

"If I knew I'd tell you…" Luke said, mimicking back in Riker's tone.

The four boys stayed where they were still, looking round for where the noise came from, until Luke felt someone jump on his back, attacking him.

Luke ended up on the floor and rolling around on the floor, having a scrap with the person until Luke was laid on his back with the person on top of him, pinning him down to the floor and staring the person in the face.

"ROSS! Oh my, God, you scared the crap out of me!" Luke said, being annoyed but at the same time relieved as he genuinely thought he was about to die.

"Sorry… I thought you were someone from patrol." Ross said, still having him pinned to the floor. **(a/n: fuck off, I know what the majority of you are thinking at this present moment)**

"No. Get off me!"

Ross got up off the floor and helped Luke up too before he seen Dan and his eyes widened "Oh my, God, Dan! You're a live!" Ross said, being relieved and happy as he went over and hugged him.

"I am." Dan said, hugging back where he seen Phil stood with Michael, and instantly he became awkward and slightly sad as he had forgotten that Phil no longer remembered who he was or anything they had done together.

Phil smiled, when he seen Dan after Ross finished giving him a hug "Dan! I'm so glad to see you!" He said, going over and pushing Ross out of the way to hug Dan.

Dan didn't hug back, he stood in confusion as to why he was hugging him and why he was so happy and relieved to see him if he couldn't remember him. he looked at everyone else for an answer.

"He remembers you." Luke said.

"What?!" Dan exclaimed, his voice going slightly higher in pitch.

"Yeah, he remembered as soon as you got on the plane. Did I forget to tell you that when you found me at the river?" Luke asked, thinking for a moment.

"Um, yes! Phil!" Dan hugged him back, being happy and looking it – which was then, at that moment, Ross and Luke saw a happy spark in Dan that they had never seen before and that had been clearly missing for a long time.

Ross smiled a little as he watched them, but that was when he noticed two other people there. He looked, seeing Riker and Ellington. He glanced at them "Oh, hey, Riker, Ell—wait, what?!" Ross raised his voice, finally realising.

Dan and Phil pulled away from their hug and Luke mentally face palmed – of all the people that could have found them before Dan and Luke got Riker and Ellington back home. It had to be Ross.

"What are you two doing here?!" Ross asked.

Riker and Ellington glanced at each other and back at Ross. "Who are you?" Riker asked, confused as he had never seen this person before in his life yet he knew their names.

"How do you know us—wait a minute!" Ellington said, coming to some sort of realisation – but he didn't know what realisation which was seriously starting to bug him.

"Oh, don't tell me this is another one you 'swear you've met before'." Riker said, rolling his eyes and getting fed up of this.

"Yes!"

Riker sighed. It was bad enough he was annoying Luke about it, he didn't need him annoying this new guy now.

Ross looked at Dan and Luke for an explanation – but just mainly Luke as he knew fine well who these two people were and what they meant to Ross. Luke's face turned to a mix of awkward and guilt, like he was trying to avoid talking about it with Ross.

"Ellington found me lying on the beach in LA after I washed up on the shore." Dan said.

"Right. Why are they both with you?" Ross asked.

"Because I convinced them to drive me to Utah only we got stopped by patrol which forced us to ditch Riker's car and now we're here."

"So, now patrol want them two as well as us?" Ross asked.

"It's a possibility."

"How do you know our names?" Riker asked.

Ross turned to them "Oh, erm… Earpiece."

"What?"

"Yeah, one of them two must have had one in but lost it. I could hear everything – even when they said your names," Ross said, which made Dan and Luke give him a funny look as they couldn't believe he was lying to them both when they've come this far and are possibly about to go further "I mean, you've heard of the word 'Epoch' before, right?" Ross asked.

Riker gave him a confused look "No." He said, not knowing what that word had anything to do with this.

"N—" Ellington stopped as he began to think, as that word sounded familiar to him. Almost as familiar as Ross and Luke's face.

Ross didn't say anything, he turned away from them where he was greeted to a curious/suspicious look from Luke. "What are you doing?" He asked, quietly.

"Seeing if they can remember by themselves without one of us having to give them the explanation making them think we're crazy," Ross said, quietly. He coughed, becoming normal again "Right. Anyway. Let's go find the others."

Ashton, Brad and Mia were all together still and had finally escaped from patrol, so now they were trying to find the others but they weren't having any luck with it so far. "Maybe I should use my wrist-epoch so we all get transported to the same place and regrouped." Brad suggested.

"I'd wait a little while longer just in case." Ashton said.

They continued walking before they heard voices. The three stopped and looked around, not being able to see anybody. "Who's that..?" Mia asked, whispering.

"I don't know…" Ashton whispered.

"Hey, guys!" One of the voices called.

The three turned round where they seen Ross, Luke, Michael, Phil, Dan, Riker and Ellington. "Jesus Christ, we didn't think we'd find you! Where are the others?" Ross asked.

"We don't know, we haven't found them yet." Brad said.

Ashton looked and seen Luke, becoming relieved, happy and confused all in one "Luke?"

"Hey." Luke waved.

Ashton smiled before running over and practically jumping into his arms, hugging him tightly and Luke hugged back just as tight, whilst the others were distracted with talking to one another.

"I thought I'd lost you forever." Ashton said.

Luke laughed softly "Nah, you can't get rid of me that easily."

Ashton held him a bit tighter before they pulled away and kissed.

"Guys, come on, we're gonna try and find Rocky." Ross said.

The pair pulled away before going to follow Ross, Brad, Mia, Phil, Michael, Riker and Ellington.

After wondering around the forest for a short while together trying to find the others, they all finally found them and met back up – minusing Joe and Samara as they had no clue as to where they were. Once they had met up with the last group, Dan became a little worried "Where's Joe and Samara..?"

"We don't know. They ran off together – they might be somewhere around here." Rocky said.

"Or they might have been caught," Brad said, making everyone look at him "what? When I was running I could have sworn I seen patrol run the way they went. Two people against about eight patrol officers? Somehow I don't see the two people winning."

"Well, wherever they are we'll get them back. All we have to do is just transport ourselves elsewhere and they'll appear with us – I could have sworn I seen Joe with a wrist-epoch." Courtney said.

"Yeah, I gave mine to him." Ross said.

"How will they all end up together if they transport themselves?" Dan asked, confused as he wasn't there for that explanation.

"I linked up all of our wrist-epoch's so that if one person transports the others with wrist-epoch's will transport with them and the people who don't have wrist-epoch's and are within about three or four metres distance from the ones who do have the epoch's will go too." Courtney explained.

Riker and Ellington dropped off in the background as they had no idea what they were talking about. "It's like they're speaking a whole other different language." Riker said.

"Yeah, same." Ellington said.

"We need to figure out somewhere where we can transport ourselves where we will all be safe." Courtney said.

"Well me, Luke, Ross, Rocky and Brad can't. We've got them microchips in our arms so that Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey can track where we are. If we disappear and reappear somewhere else they'll find it weird and suspicious and come for us." Ashton said.

Courtney sighed before taking off her backpack and taking out the tablet that was used to track where the five boys were, holding it up for everyone to see. "Where did you get that?" Ross asked.

"I stole it from HQ." Ashley said.

"Why's there only three triangles flashing? All five of you are alive." Caspar said, looking at it and being confused.

Courtney put the tablet back into her backpack "Because Brad was pretty much dead to the point where it was almost impossible to feel his pulse – clearly the microchip never picked it up so it stopped working. Plus, we had to go back in time. I noticed that when we got him his chip on the tablet kept glitching on and off and once we went back in time to a different year, it stopped completely. Who found Luke?"

"Me, Riker and Ellington. He washed up from the river – he wasn't really breathing until I pressed on his chest and got all the water out of his system." Dan said.

"There we go, Luke was also briefly dead."

"So… the moral of the story is… me, Ross and Ashton have to either briefly die or go back in time for them to stop working?" Rocky asked, feeling full of dread already.

"Yeah."

"I'd rather just go back in time to be honest. 'Cause knowing my luck I won't briefly die, I'll just die." Ashton said, not liking the thought of that plan.

"Yeah, same for me actually…" Ross said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Whereabouts in time are we gonna go?" Calum asked "'cause we're gonna have to go back or forwards pretty far – but we can't go forwards 'cause we'll see the outcome of this and we could ruin it and slip up. And when we go back in time we'll have to go to a time where Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey weren't around."

"Pick a time and place with your eyes closed on the wrist-epoch and hope for the best that you end up somewhere, where they weren't around." Rydel said.

"How does that work?" Rocky asked.

"Here, I'll show you." Rydel said. She shut her eyes and began to type on it without looking.

Ross noticed Riker and Ellington "Hey, you two, do you see that thing on the floor over there? Can you both go get it for me before we go? It's not hard to miss. It's right over there." Ross said.

"Why us?" Ellington asked.

"You two are the closest."

"Fair enough."

The pair turned around and went to where Ross pointed to get whatever this thing was off the floor.

Rydel finished typing with her eyes closed still and pressed the transport button where in a blue flash everyone disappeared – minusing Riker and Ellington as Ross had sent them away so they weren't in the distance where they would go with them purposefully.

Riker and Ellington turned around, hearing the flash. "Hey! HEY! HEY! HEY!" Riker shouted, running towards where the others once stood.

"Did they just leave us?" Ellington asked, following him.

"Yeah…"

"Well, what are we gonna do? How are we gonna get back home?" Ellington asked.

"I… I don't know…"

 **Location: The Cells, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Joe and Samara had been brought back to the base by patrol and were thrown into the cells violently after being thrown around and beaten by the guards – due to Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's orders.

Joe got thrown in first, but managed to stay on his feet, and Samara got thrown in after but got thrown to the ground. "Hey!" Joe shouted, going for the guard for doing that to her but it was too late 'cause the cell door was shut and locked.

Samara was in a lot of pain after being thrown around and beaten by the guards which had caused her to be hysterical and crying. "We're gonna die, we're gonna die… We're all gonna die now, brilliant, this is fucking great." Samara panicked through a flood of tears.

Joe turned round, looking down at her "Relax, it'll be fine. We'll be alright."

Samara ignored Joe and completely refused to calm down "Oh my, God, we're gonna die… we're gonna die…"

"We're not, Samara, calm down. We'll get out of here I promise," He said, walking over to the bars on the cell "HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" Joe shouted, hoping his voice would echo.

Alex and Kyle had finished what they were doing for the day. Ever since Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton had left, the pair plus Nate had been keeping their heads very low to the point where some people had forgotten about them because they didn't want to get into any trouble or die because of Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey.

As much as the trio would like to help the five boys out, they don't see how the three of them could. They just weren't cut out for it or had the ability to.

The boys had to walk by the entrance to the cells in order to get back to their rooms.

"SOMEBODY HELP US!"

Kyle and Alex stopped in their tracks. "Did you hear that?" Kyle asked.

Alex nodded "Yeah, it sounded like… it was in the cells."

"Please! HELP!" The voice kept shouting.

Kyle furrowed his brow, going towards the door "It sounds like Joe."

Kyle opened up the door and the two boys ran down the stairs and into the cells. "Joe?" Kyle called, as he and Alex walked along and passed all the other empty cells – or cells that had people in them from rebelling against Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey.

"Kyle?" Joe questioned, becoming relieved.

Alex and Kyle hurried through the cells until they reached the cell Joe was in with Samara. "How'd you get back? More importantly, when?" Alex asked.

"Just now. Patrol caught us both in the forest but it's just us two. Listen, I need you guys to find a key to this cell and some stuff to help Samara 'cause she's badly cut and bruised." Joe said.

Kyle nodded "Got it. I'll go get the key, Alex, go to the hospital unit and get something."

"Like what?" Alex asked.

"I don't know I'm not a doctor. We'll be back as fast as we can." Kyle said, before running off to go find a key.

Alex soon followed but got half way up the hall when he turned back round to go back to the cell "What specifically do you need from the hospital unit? 'Cause, I'm not a doctor either and I don—where hell did you go?" Alex asked, seeing Joe and Samara were no longer in their cell.

The door was still locked.

There was no sign of them breaking out any other way.

They had literally disappeared into thin air.

What the hell?

 **Year: Unknown  
Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

Everyone groaned in pain as they got thrown out of the blue light and on the floor. Caspar knelt up on the ground, coughing as he had got a mouth full of sand "Why are we on the beach?!" Caspar asked, wiping his tongue with his hand to get the sand out of his mouth as best as he could.

Luke looked up from where he had landed on the floor "Are you an idiot? We're not on the beach. We're in the desert."

Everyone looked around to see that they had landed in a desert – and they didn't know what one either 'cause it didn't look like the Escalante Desert.

"Is it the Escalante Desert?" Ross asked, rubbing his eyes after getting sand in them so he couldn't see properly at the moment.

Luke shook his head "No, it doesn't look like it. Far from."

"That means we could be in any desert in the world." Ashton said.

"Yeah, and in any time in history. Sorry about that…" Rydel said, because of her choosing where they went at random.

"Does it say on the wrist-epoch's where we are?" Calum asked.

Everyone who had a wrist-epoch looked.

"Mine says we're in 1959." Brad said.

Everyone else who had one agreed as theirs all said the same – it just didn't say their location or the date which wasn't very handy.

Dan looked around where he seen Samara and his eyes widened "Samara!" Dan got up and went to her.

Samara looked up where she seen Dan and she jumped up, hugging him in happiness and relief "Oh my, God, Dan! I thought you were dead!" She said, as Joe looked up from where he had landed at them both.

Dan pulled away from the hug "Whoa, what the hell happened to you?" He asked, due to the state she was in from the cuts and bruises.

"Me and Joe got caught by patrol and they were a little rough with us both."

"Also, we saw Alex and Kyle – they heard me calling out. So… They're gonna be very confused when they go back to the cell we were in and see they're gone." Joe said.

Rocky shook his head "It'll be fine. We'll be back with them five minutes from when they last saw you both – we'll just explain to them then. Quickly and briefly."

Brad stood up, looking left to right as there was just an endless sea of sand and a hut in the distance "Now what do we d—"

"HEY!" A random and unfamiliar voice shouted.

 ** _Next:_** _Time Will Only Tell **or** Once and For All_

* * *

 **And now we are officially on the downwards slope towards the end. Enjoy the story whilst it lasts, even though we're not at the half way point yet.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YA WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Courtney?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker & Ellington getting left behind?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe & Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on where you think they are & what'll happen to them next?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	15. Once and For All

**Fanfiction = FANS writing FICTION of their favourite TV show, Movies or Bands etc. This website is called FanFiction . Net. "FanFiction" FANS writing FICTION about their favourite TV Shows, Movies & Bands etc. What would the point in the website being called that if it didn't allow you to post/write about that? :)**

 **If you're going to review/leave a comment about this story breaking the rules of FanFiction - guess what, it's not. And also, be a little nicer about it & get the facts right about my stories & what they contain please before commenting on them cos not once has this story mentioned or had a part in it about "feminism". Also, if you're going to give me critisism, all I ask is that you be nice about the situation & not horrible or come across as bullying.**

 **And one last thing, don't review as a guest account with the above cos I can easily get rid of it more than I can if you were an actual account.**

 **I know I'm coming across as horrible, but I don't mean to be - but you came across as horrible/a bully to me.**

 **Also, there's HUNDREDS - of not, thousands - of fanfictions on here where people have written about their favourite bands, youtubers or whatever have you yet they haven't been threatened to get taken down? I've had 2 stories taken down before by the website and it wasn't bc of people like you commenting threats & reporting it - as soon as I started putting the disclaimer in the authors notes saying I don't own certain bands like R5, The Vamps & 5SOS etc. the website left me alone & let me get on with it. That was 2 years ago. I've been here since 2012. Almost 4 years. Trust me, I think I know how this website works - it's not up to you to decide if the story gets taken down, it's up to the website.**

 **Much love x**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 15  
** _Once and For All_ **  
**

Everyone turned round to see a man who looked about in his 30's stood there. They didn't have a clue as to who he was, they didn't recognise him at all – obviously because they all weren't around in 1959. They all weren't even thought of. Heck, their parents weren't even thought of yet and their grandparents are probably little kids or teenagers. Minusing Brad, Rydel, Michael, Calum and Courtney of course.

"I seen that. I seen how you all appeared out of nowhere." The man said.

"Are you sure..?" Ross asked.

"Yes I'm sure! One minute this place was empty and the next you're all here!" He then turned around, rather quickly, and walked off.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Brad asked.

"I'm going to tell someone."

"No, no, no!" Ashton said, running over and jumping in front of him so he blocked his path – even though they were essentially in the middle of nowhere and a lot of open area so the man could just turn in a different direction and run "no, no, you can't do that."

"Watch me."

"No!" Ashton grabbed hold of him and pushed him in the direction of the others as he tried to get passed him.

Dan walked over to him "Please don't tell people what you just saw – for your own sake as well as ours."

"Why?" The man asked.

"'Cause it'll only send people into panic or it'll make people think you're crazy and you'll turn into that person everyone thinks needs to be sent to a mental asylum."

The man shrugged "I don't care. Unless you tell me how you did that, I will go tell people."

Ross grabbed Joe as he was the closest to him and held up his wrist for the man to see the wrist-epoch Joe was wearing "Look, see this. It's called a wrist-epoch. It takes you backwards or forwards in time as you've just seen – these happen in the very, very, very distant future. Those four—" Ross pointed at Michael, Calum, Rydel and Courtney "—they're from the year 2037 where they made these and the rest of us are from 2015. Believe it if you want, you don't have to. Just… please don't tell anybody."

"Yeah, please don't. I mean, do you really want to be the cause for moral panic?" Courtney asked.

The man stayed silent, obviously thinking about it "Alright, I won't. On the deal that you do something for me."

"Which is?" Rocky asked.

"I've been given a job of finding and hiring builders to build something right here in the space of six months to a year. As you can see, I'm obviously not doing a very good job at finding them. I have the huts and the place to stay for them right over there," The man said, pointing to where in the distance they seen small huts that obviously contained beds and whatever else they needed for sleep etc. "I'll pay you as I would of the builders if I'd have found them in time. I won't tell anyone as long as you build what I want."

"Alright, deal." Brad said.

"Great. Thank you! Everything that you'll need should be here by morning, no later than noon. Those huts over there are big enough for about twenty or thirty men, you can either share or there might be enough for one each. Knock yourselves out." The man said, about to walk away.

"Hey, where are we?" Brad asked.

The man looked at him and laughed "Shouldn't your little time devices tell you that?" The man asked, where then he walked away towards a car, obviously he wasn't going to tell them.

The group got to the huts where their new beds would be for the next six months to a year – depending on how well whatever they were building goes. It could be shorter, or a whole lot longer.

"Can I have everyone's wrist-epoch's so I can unlink them? We don't really need them linked anymore." Courtney said, where everyone who had a wrist-epoch took it off and handed it over to her. After getting them, she went into a room to sort them out – obviously that was going to be her room.

Mia looked at everyone else "I'll just share with her." She said, going into the room.

"Nobody's sharing with me – I'm having one to myself. I've been dying to have a room to myself after the past few years – well, future years now – of sharing a room with Luke and Ashton." Rocky said, going to another room.

"What if there's more than one bed in that room?" Ross asked.

"I don't care if there's four – the rooms mine and nobody else's." Rocky said, going into the room and slamming the door.

After that, everyone else picked their rooms which wound up being: Ross and Brad, Luke and Ashton, Joe, Caspar, Dan and Phil (as there were four beds in one room), Ashley and Landon, Michael, Calum and Rydel, and finally Samara had one to herself – and there was still a few bedrooms left over.

Caspar looked out the window of what was now his, Joe, Dan and Phil's room. "Where do you think we are? Obviously we're in an English speaking country which narrows it down to England, America and Australia. But England doesn't have deserts which just leaves Australia and America." Caspar said.

Phil got up from his bed and looked out of the window also, trying to think for himself "We could be in a foreign country though, one that doesn't speak the English language. Don't be fooled by that man just 'cause he speaks English – he might just speak the language of whatever foreign country we may be in if we're not in America, Australia or England."

"I don't know, man… I mean, I'm getting a very Australian, American vibe from this place. I just can't decide which one." Caspar said.

"Go ask Luke, Ashton and Landon. They're Australian they might know." Joe said.

Dan gave him a bemused look "Yes, Joe, because they know exactly what the deserts in Australia looked like in 1959, don't they?" Dan said, sarcastically.

"Well, they do now if we're here."

"Plus, if we were in Australia we'd have heard that man's accent."

"And we'd have also have heard it if he was American." Joe said.

"Well, he sounded pretty normal to me – he didn't seem like he had an accent. Maybe that means he's British. Did he have an accent to you, Caspar?" Phil asked, as Caspar was South African and if he was British, Caspar would be able to hear the accent unlike Dan, Joe and Phil as they're used to hearing their own accent with them being from England. And he'd have also been able to hear the man's American or Australian accent if he was, as Dan, Phil and Joe have grown too used to American accents, due to them working in America, and also Australian accents due to the three being constantly with Luke and Ashton, and then Landon.

They barely sound like they have an accent to them, put it that way.

Caspar nodded "Yeah, he did… but… I can't tell what it was."

Dan shrugged "I guess time will only tell where we are."

Ross and Brad had gone back outside rather than stay in their rooms where Samara also was with Ashley and Landon, but a fair distance away from them, but still being in earshot. "This is ridiculous." Brad said.

"Yeah, I know. But anything to keep everyone sane and from panicking." Ross said.

"I guess so. But we could have just killed the guy to stop him."

Ross scoffed "Wow, someone's evil side is starting to show again," He said, where Brad shrugged "what even happened to that anyway? You being evil and wanting to kill us all?"

"It comes and goes."

"Well, I feel safe now." Ross said, sarcastically and making Brad laugh a little.

Ross continued to look at him as he wasn't 100% convinced that Brad was truly evil and wanted to kill them all – them being put against each other in the woods obviously changed that and whatever events that would have happened in the future because of it.

Rocky, Luke and Ashton then came out of the huts. "Hey, is everything alright?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, it's fine." Brad said.

"Other than they find this ridiculous." Samara said, coming over with Ashley and Landon behind her.

"Yeah, it is a little. All we wanted was to get away from 2015 so we could think of a plan in peace. Not build something in six months whilst coming up with a plan." Ashton said, as everyone else came out of the huts.

"I sorted out the wrist-epoch's. I put them all in my backpack for safe keeping for now until we actually need them." Courtney said.

"Even though there's not enough, because we're all going to have to go in three's or pairs again when we come up with a plan." Dan said.

Samara looked at everyone confused "Wait… I-I don't understand how this is ridiculous?"

"As Ashton said, we only needed a place where we wouldn't be at the risk of being killed or attacked by patrol. Now we've got to spend six months to a year here otherwise stranger sue is gonna tell people and make them panic or make them think he's crazy." Rocky said.

Samara looked round at everyone, still looking baffled "You have shelter and a bed – which is something we all haven't had for days – weeks even if you count the time we spent in 2037! We also haven't had something properly to eat and drink and we'll more than likely get that here once whoever stranger sue is pays us. That's not ridiculous."

"I guess that's an up to this situation." Brad said.

Samara gave him a funny look "You guess? You guys are complaining at how long we have to spend here. Six months to a year? That is more than enough time I get it, but during that time we could all come up with the most perfect plan to take down Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey. 'Cause what happens if we did have a day or less to plan which is what you wanted? We could get half way through the plan and one of us realise we missed something out and we fail at taking them down. Six months? A year? We're going to have every single small detail about them and this situation down – the plan we come up with in this next year… is going to be something not even Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey and their little evil crew could come up with. Guys… we could get rid of them once and for all. This situation we're in now isn't ridiculous," She said, making everyone fall silent "not to mention that there'll even be enough time for Rydel, Michael, Calum, Courtney, Dan and Phil to make some more wrist-epoch's so that there's enough for every one of us. At the moment we're losing this fight against Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, but we could actually win this due to the amount of time we're going to get here in 1959. Once we're done here we could easily get back to 2015 at the base on the exact date and time we left – even easier now that the microchips in your arms have stopped working so nobody can track where you are. Guys… We're going to do this. I know we are – I actually have more faith in us right now than I have done since this situation started."

Everyone still stayed silent as they knew Samara was right.

"She is right." Ross said.

Rocky sighed:

"Well then… Let's get this plan started and finish this once and for all."

 ** _Next:_** _Immortals_

* * *

 ***the start of Immortals by Fall Out Boy starts playing cos if you haven't guessed already, that's the song for the next chapter***

 **HOLY SHIT. SHITS ABOUT TO GO DOWN. IT'S HAPPENING. WE'RE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE END. I'M NOT READY. I DON'T WANT THIS TO END ANY MORE THAN YOU DO. I LOVE BRRAL TOO MUCH.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the man?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara & what she was saying at the end?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	16. Immortals

**Get ready for a long ass'd chapter & we're only 2 chapters away from the half way point :)))**

* * *

 **Guest Account replies:**

 **HorusTheAvenger:** Wow, so I'm being reported for wanting to be interactive with the people who read this story? By telling them/sharing things with them that I may want them to know or what I think may find their interest? Other authors do it on this site, so why can't I? & the stories explicit? Excuse me, at what point in this story is it explicit? There's so sex scenes - only swearing. I'll admit, more than there probably should be but still... The story is rated T for a reason. If it had any sort of sex scenes in the story I'd give warning before letting people read it or maybe even put the story as an M Rated one. & I am aware there are rules, I am aware that they apply to me & everyone else but lets face it if I was breaking them that badly I'd have been gone a very long time ago :) Given that I've been on this website since December 2012 & it's now March 2016... I definitely would've been gone by now if I was breaking the rules that badly. Also for your _"Also, really, 'others have done it'? Are you 5 years old or something. Do you not take any responsibility for any of your actions in life."_ \- it's a website for crying out loud, it doesn't have an affect on my "life" outside of the internet & fanfiction get a grip will you. And I'll have you know I'm 17, almost 18, years old. If you'd have said ALL this to me when I first started I would've been more butthurt by it but to be honest, I'm just laughing at the moment & finding it ridiculous 'cause I'm not commiting a "crime". It's fanfiction. What crime can you commit with it? Writing something that someone doesn't like? Solution: don't read the story. Writing about a ship or certain people someone doesn't like? Solution: don't read the story. And I don't block people because I don't like what they say, in fact I'm very open to criticism as long as they're nice about it - but if they're horrible, I'll just ignore them & NOT block them. The only reason I'll block someone is if they're spamming or being abusive with their comments & I will only "attack" people on this website if I have good reason too even though "attack" is a bit of a strong word, don't you think? "Call out" would be a better choice :) Literally, the fact you're saying stuff like "the CU fears us", "we will not rest until you are gone" and "for I am Horus the Avenger" makes me think you're just some other teenager or person in your bedroom behind a laptop screen that lives in a little fantasy world - fair enough most of us do - and can only try to cause drama/offend/attack someone over a computer screen, or better yet an internet troll. That's you appear to me as, an internet troll. And yes, 2 people review the story. That DOES NOT MEAN I only have "2 readers", are you not taking into consideration the other 5 people that follow the story & the 4 that favourite it? Not to mention the 504 traffic views I have. Not to mention the readers that don't have accounts on FanFiction - yes, they can review as a guest, but maybe they don't want to or have the time to or know what to put? The same goes for the people who do have accounts, read the story but don't review - maybe they don't know what to put? That's why the questions at the end of the story are there - to help them IF THEY WANT TO REVIEW. Yes, I ask "please review & answer the questions" bc it's nice to have reviews & praise - but I don't hold the chapters at a ransom, bc I update anyway regardless if people review. I have people coming to me on Twitter, Youtube, Instagram etc. telling me that they read this story & they LOVE it even though they may not review. So don't pull that card on me. Reviews don't matter, the readers do & as long as I keep my readers entertained I don't care if they review even though it may not seem like it. I have WELL over ONE HUNDRED - if not up to 500 or more - followers on FanFiction and they are all different and have different interests of what I write - some read all my stories, some only read a couple bc they might feel a little bit uncomfortable with reading MPREG or boy/boy ships. Heck, maybe even some readers read my stories only for certain people in it. But maybe some have grown out of fanfiction so don't read it any more but have left their fanfiction account open & the same as it was before they left? I know my readers & what the majority of them like & what they will read & I do my best to make sure every story I write will appeal to them & that they will like them. I wasn't going to do this but I'm going to prove you wrong about me "not having barely any readers reading the story". The last chapter had 15 readers & 7 visitors. That's not only 2 readers now is it? :) No. Trust me, I believe in criticism. And I also know I'm not going to get rid of you cos you're a guest account which is fine, I don't care, you'll get bored & go away eventually - it's happened before with people like you & it'll happen again :) Now that I've said what I wanted to say, I'm going to be the adult about this situation - how about we just leave each other alone, stop commenting on one another & "attacking" each other & move on. You leave my fanfiction account & this story alone, I'll leave you alone & stop calling you out. Deal? It's better than constantly arguing.

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee, Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) or the song "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records, YouTube, Island Records & Big Hero 6!**_

* * *

 **PLEASE listen to the song whilst you read this chapter :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 16  
** _Immortals_ **  
**

 _They say we are what we are  
_ _But we don't have to be.  
_ _I'm bad behavior but I do it in the best way.  
_ _I'll be the watcher (watcher) of the eternal flame.  
_ _I'll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams._

Everything that they needed to build the building had finally arrived at their location as well as the blueprints. There was a lot of them which made the boys realise why it was going to take them six months to a year.

The five were looking at them all whilst the rest were getting everything else sorted. "What the hell is this place meant to be?" Ross asked, picking a few of the blueprints up, looking at them and dropping them back onto the table they made out of wood and nails as they needed something to put stuff on.

"How is this guy expecting _us_ to build whatever this is in a year at the most? Try centuries!" Rocky said.

"Eh, we'll do it." Ashton said, seeming ninety per cent sure.

"Ashton we're freaking… I don't know what we are but we're not builders or architects!" Luke said.

"You know this defeats the object of building and trying to come up with a plan at the same time." Brad said.

"Tell you what," Rocky said, picking up the blueprints before giving Ross, Brad, Luke and Ashton a bunch of blueprints each "to make this faster, we'll just take a group of people each and build whatever it is that's on the blueprints with them – it'll waste less time and when we're not building, we'll come up with the plan. Got it?" Rocky asked, and they all nodded "good. Now come on… Whatever we're building is more than likely going to end in disaster so when that guy comes back to look at the finished result, we're gonna have to run like the wind." He said, before going off with his blueprints to get a small group together out of Joe, Caspar, Dan, Phil, Michael, Calum, Rydel, Courtney, Samara, Ashley and Landon.

 _Oooooooh  
_ _I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass (glass, glass)  
_ _Oooooooh,  
_ _I try to picture me without you but I can't_

Dan and Phil had made themselves a table out of some, what they hope was, spare wood 'cause if it wasn't spare the others that were building were going to have to fight them both for it if they were still working on the bench.

They had all the wrist-epoch's they had been given on the table. "Right, so this is what we need to make." Phil said.

"We need to make more so that there's enough of them – but we don't have the equipment here to make them." Dan said.

"That's fine, just wait here. Courtney unlinked all the wrist-epoch's so I'll just quickly run back to 2037 and find all the equipment you need to make them." Calum said, typing the location, date and year he needed.

"Do you want me to go with you? 'Cause it's a lot of stuff to bring back by yourself." Rydel said/asked.

Calum shook his head "I'll be fine, I'll manage."

Rydel nodded before Calum disappeared in a flash of blue light. "Do you want us both and Calum to help with making them?" Michael asked.

Dan shook his head "Nah, we'll be fine. You guys just focus on getting what that man wants built and the plan. But it might be nice to at least be shown how you make one of these things. After that it should stick with us."

"Alright." Rydel said, picking up a wrist-epoch where she went on to explain how they make them and what they do and minutes later Calum reappeared with a backpack that was quite full.

He put it on the wooden table along with the wrist-epoch he had "That's everything you need in there – including instructions on how to do it, so sorry if they just showed you or gave you a long explanation," Calum said, as Dan and Phil took the backpack and had a look inside, beginning to take everything out "are you two going to be okay with making these?"

Dan and Phil looked at each other before looking at the three in front of them and Phil nodded:

"We'll be fine."

 _Cause we could be immortals, immortals  
_ _Just not for long, for long.  
_ _And live with me forever now,  
_ _You pull the blackout curtains down  
_ _Just not for long, for long._

"Okay, so once Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey notice that the trackers gone, they're going to be expecting us back at any minute." Brad said.

"That means they'll be getting prepared for it." Ross added.

"So how do we take them by surprise?" Rocky asked, a little bit confused and trying to think.

"Hit them when they least expect it." Ashton said.

Luke rolled his eyes "No, did you not listen to Brad? They're going to be expecting us back at any moment."

The five boys became silent as they tried to think, and mainly because all this seemed to be doing was ending in arguments. "You know, this is harder than I thought it was going to be." Ross said.

They were still thinking until Rocky looked at Ashton and an idea immediately struck him. "What?" Luke asked, seeing the smirk coming upon his face and the fact that he was looking at Ashton.

"I just got an idea that may work… and it involves Ashton." Rocky said, liking he the idea he had as it could actually work to get everyone back into the base to stop the evil trio.

"Yeah, obviously, I can tell by the way you're looking at me," Ashton said, feeling slightly uncomfortable by the way he was "what do you want me to do?" Ashton asked, obviously being up for it if there was a slightest bit chance they would save everyone.

Rocky then became unsure "I don't know… You might not agree to it… And I know for a fact Luke won't and he'll protest even if you do…"

"Just tell me." Ashton said, not really caring about what it was and if Luke was against it – it wasn't his choice.

"Um, okay… but… if you slip up the slightest bit and don't go along with it correctly… There's a chance you may die."

 _We could be immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals._

Joe, Samara, Ross, Brad, Calum and Courtney were working on the building. It had been a month and a bit and they had the first floor done and were about less than a quarter of a way through the second. "Hey, Calum, can you pass me that brick?" Brad asked, who was stood on half a wall as he was building the rest of it – if he fell to his right he'd fall out onto the desert floor and die or seriously injure himself.

Calum looked and seen a pile of bricks and handed it to him with a smile before going back to whatever he was doing. Brad watched him as he went and Ross noticed. Brad put the brick on the wall and jumped down from it with a heavy sigh.

"Are you alright?" Ross asked, going over to him.

"You know, once this is all over and we have a plan and we take down Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, he's going to disappear into non-existence." Brad said, talking quietly so Calum couldn't hear.

Ross looked over at him "I know."

 _Sometimes the only pay-off for having any faith  
_ _Is when it's tested again and again everyday.  
_ _I'm still comparing your past to my future.  
_ _It might be your wound but they're my sutures._

It had been three months now and Dan and Phil were still working on the wrist-epoch's. Phil had one wrapped round his wrist "I'm scared."

"I would be too." Dan said, fearing for his friends' life – more so wrist.

Phil whimpered in a form of fear and typed in some coordinates on the wrist-epoch. He pressed the button that transports him but instead of it transporting him, it sparked and exploded, making Phil scream and Dan throw himself down to the floor behind the table.

Dan knelt up on the floor and sighed, resting on the table and putting his head in his hands "This is gonna take forever."

 _Oooooooh  
_ _I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass (glass, glass)  
_ _Oooooooh,  
_ _I try to picture me without you but I can't_

"The code to the chambers is: '531*53#' – remember that. 531*53#." Ashton said.

"And remember to wait ten seconds when you cut the red wire first – _always_ the red wire first. Not the blue, not the black, not the grey – you cut the grey wire and you're a gonner. Red wire first," Luke said, and Caspar sighed heavily which made Luke look at him "got a problem?" Luke asked.

"Why do we all have to know how to disarm a warhead?" Caspar asked, being bored out of his mind "that's yours, Joe, Ashley, Landon and Kyle's department." He said, as himself, Ross, Rocky, Dan and Phil were in the midst of being educated on how to disarm a warhead by Luke and Ashton whilst the rest (Joe, Samara, Rydel, Michael, Calum, Courtney, Ashley and Landon) were getting on with building the building as they already knew how to.

"Well, what happens if one of us isn't around to do that? Say if we're elsewhere and they set a warhead to detonate right there and then, and the only hope if you to disarm it, at least you know how." Ashton said.

"Yeah but for the past few weeks—well now months—of our lives, it's been surrounded around warheads. I think we know how to disarm them now." Caspar said, continuing to argue.

"Go on then, how?" Ashton challenged.

"Simple. Cut the blue wire, wait ten seconds, cut the red one and if it doesn't disarm, cut the grey one."

"Caspar… If that's your way of disarming a warhead, I'll go pick the flowers to lay on your grave now." Ashton said.

"Right, rule 1 of this entire plan: don't let Caspar near a warhead that's about to detonate." Luke said.

"Apart from that reason, is there any other reason as to why we need to know how to do this?" Phil asked.

"Yes. It's all part of the plan."

 _'Cause we could be immortals, immortals  
_ _Just not for long, for long.  
_ _And live with me forever now,  
_ _You pull the blackout curtains down  
_ _Just not for long, for long._

It'd been seven months and everything to do with the building was pretty much done – all that needed doing now was the inside with rooms and such as well as the roof.

Ross had been given the job to do one room and was stressing over it because it didn't look right and he knows for a fact the man that gave them this job won't be happy and the others will just laugh and question his architectural skills – but he's not an architect so he has an excuse!

Brad came into the room, looking around "Would you like some help..?" Brad asked, seeing the state of the room.

"No."

Brad raised his brow, not quite believing the 'no'.

"Go away! I can do it myself!"

Brad raised his brow even more "Are you sure you don't need help? 'Cause… the room kinda looks like a hexagon."

Ross sighed heavily before giving in and accepting Brad's help. Brad picked up some of the tools Ross had been given to do the room and they began to make the room look better than it was. They decided to make the door to the room when all of a sudden:

"OH MY, GOD WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WATCH OUT!" Ashley screamed at the top of her lungs from outside the room.

Ross and Brad jumped out the way of the door when a wrecking ball smashed through where the door is – well, was. Seconds later, Rocky came through and noticed "Oh, shit… I am so sorry. I got trigger happy with the wrecking ball on the bulldozer… I never meant to hit the room."

"You've just destroyed the door way!" Brad shouted, being almost as pissed as Ross was because the doorway was going pretty well and it was the only part of the room Ross hadn't messed up.

"Hey! It's fine. You can have a circular door – a little bit like the Epoch Room! That has a circular door and it looks fine! It's unique! I don't know many places with a circular door…" Rocky said, not wanting the two boys to hurt him or throw or beat him with the tools they had in their hands.

Ross shook his head and dropped the tool he had in his hands to the floor.

Rocky looked around the room and his brow furrowed "Why's the room a hexagon?"

"I told you!" Brad said, looking at Ross who looked very fed up.

 _We could be immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,_

9 Months had passed.

Dan and Phil were inside the building, stressing over the wrist-epoch's as they hadn't got them to work at all over the last nine months. And now they were hoping they had.

Dan's hair was a mess and he clearly looked stressed, shaking a little. He typed in the coordinates to a place where Phil wanted to go and come straight back by pressing the reverse button. Dan stood back after doing so "For the love of God… Please…" He breathed deeply and gave Phil the nod to go.

Phil pressed the button, flinching as he done so, and to Dan's ultimate surprise…

He disappeared in a flash of blue light.

But he couldn't be too relieved about it working yet as Phil needed to get back.

And seconds later, Phil reappeared and Dan immediately hugged him "YES! WE DID IT! WE DID IT! WE DID IT!" Dan shouted, in complete happiness and relief "there's finally enough wrist-epoch's for everyone!" He smiled.

Phil smiled too, being just as happy and relieved. Dan clapped his hands together, jumping up and down, being giddy like a child on Christmas. "The final part of the plan is complete." Phil said.

"It is."

The two boys calmed down a little.

"Come on then, let's go give the guys the completion of this plan."

 _Immortals,  
_ _And live with me forever now,  
_ _Pull the blackout curtains down,_

Ross, Rocky, Brad, Luke and Ashton were sat outside the hut in silence, not speaking to one another as everyone came over to them – as they hadn't heard the complete version of the plan yet that they'd come up with and by the looks on their faces it looked like they were struggling to come up with an end to the plan.

"So..?" Rydel asked, hoping like hell they had something.

The five glanced at each other before looking up at them all with a smile or grin.

"Oh my, God, thank you. Thank you!" Rydel said, more than grateful and relieved as she hugged who was in front of her which was Ross and Rocky, at the same time.

"Right, okay, listen good and listen carefully," Rocky said, getting up from his seat and standing in front of the others "we're all going to get to the base – Ashley, Landon, your priority is finding Ryan, Renzo, Bailey, Alex, Kyle and Nate to fill them in on this plan. Ashton's going to be some sort of a distraction by going back to the base as normal, telling Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey he killed us four so Ashley stole the tracker for nothing. Ashton's going to give them back the tracker and tell them she died 'cause she got caught by patrol as well as Landon when they had both found us. Now they're probably going to test him to see if he's lying and during this time we need to get everyone who works at the base that isn't on Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's side to a safe place – aka the basement. Get them all in there and lock them in there. After that, we need to discretely and carefully take down and kill the guards and the people who are fighting for their side until there's just Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey left – and with them three testing Ashton to make sure he's really evil and has killed us, they'll be too distracted to know all this which will give Luke, Joe, Ashley, Landon and Kyle enough time to go into the vaults and the Hangar to make sure and double check there are no warheads that have been set to detonate. Once there's only us and Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey left… it shouldn't be too hard to get rid of them." Rocky explained.

"Wait, what about Mariah, Isaac and Abasi? They'll more than likely notice something's going on and want to stop it. Not to mention they'll try and reach Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey to tell them." Courtney said.

"We know. Which is where Bailey, Ryan, Renzo, Ashley and Landon come in," Rocky said, making Ashley and Landon give him a funny look as well as becoming nervous "we need you five to take care of them three – come on. Three against five isn't going to be that hard."

"Yeah, sure. Not when the three have probably had years more of training to fight than what us have." Landon said.

"You'll be fine. Trust us. Please…" Ross said.

Ashley and Landon looked at each other, contemplating it before nodding in agreement to it – well, giving in because the world was at stake. "Alright, fine." Ashley said.

"Good," Rocky said "either way, in the end… It's just going to be us against Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah, Abasi and Isaac. Nobody else. The guards will be gone and everyone else who works in the base will be locked safely in the basement until we go and get them out once this is all over. Maybe there'll be a couple of guards left but that'll be it – nothing more. We've thought this through for almost ten months now. The plan is better than perfect. I'm one hundred per cent confident we're going to do this. We're finally at the end, okay? This it. It ends tomorrow."

 _We could be immortals, immortals  
_ _Just not for long, for long.  
_ _We could be immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,  
_ _Immooooooo- immortals,_

The building was finally finished, and the man who wanted it done was going to be there any moment. Joe was on the roof, as it was the only thing left to be made, putting the finishing touches on it as he had trained to be a roof thatcher before he started working at the base – the building was really high up which was making Joe scared but not too scared as the roof was flat over the edge so he could walk on it. And it was quite stable, plus there was a way leading back down to the bottom.

He put the finishing touches to a corner and stood up, where he appeared over the ledge where everyone was looking up and could see him. "I did it! Finished!" Joe shouted.

Ross looked in the distance behind them where he seen a couple cars coming towards them in the distance. He looked back up at Joe on the roof "Great! Now get down because it looks like that man's here with whoever's going to be owning the place! Whatever it is…" Ross shouted, mumbling the last part.

Joe moved away from the ledge of the roof to get back down – but before he did he looked at the view from the roof, over the desert they were in which was quite familiar. He stood there for a moment when realisation hit him "Oh my, God…" Joe said, in shock and disbelief at what he saw.

He quickly ran across the roof to get to the stairs so he could get back down to the others.

"It's a little big. I wonder what they're going to be doing with the place." Rocky said, looking up at the building with Brad, Ashton, Luke and Ross. The building had actually turned out okay and didn't fail like Rocky thought it was going to – he was proud of himself. And the others to of course. But mainly himself as he thought he was going to mess something up epically.

"Well, after blood, sweat and tears, it's finally finished." Dan said, walking away from the five boys as the others slowly departed from them too as the cars coming towards them pulled up.

The man got out of his car and walked towards the boys with two other people who looked really official and like they meant business which frightened the boys – and the others watching in the distance. The man looked at the building and nodded at them "Looking good."

"Thank you." Rocky said.

"Yeah, very good indeed. My names David and this is Thomas. Did you five do this all by yourself?" David asked.

Ashton shook his head "No, we had our friends behind help. There's someone else too – he's just finished the roof, actually, so he should be down in a second."

"How long did it take?" Thomas asked.

"10 and a half months." Brad said.

"Great. I see this building is going to be something – and it's all thanks to you guys building it. We can't thank you enough. Is there anything we can do to repay you and say thanks?"

"Not really." Luke said.

"Come on, there must be something. What are your names? First and last." David said.

"Ross and Rocky Lynch, Bradley Simpson, Luke Hemmings and Ashton Irwin." Rocky said.

"Right… Okay…" David said, stepping away and leaving Thomas and the man with them.

"If you don't mind us asking… what is this building for? 'Cause… it's a little odd building something in the middle of the desert." Luke said.

David and the man glanced at each other before looking back at the five boys "You know what, I trust you boys – after all, the least we could do is tell you what it's for after you've spent months building it without the knowledge of what it's actually going to be for." Thomas said.

"Right, okay… So what's it going to be?" Ross asked.

Thomas goes to speak when he's cut off by a child's voice:

"Daddy!"

Thomas looked and rolled his eyes as a little girl, about nine or ten, came running towards him "Girl, I told you to stay in the car." He said, where his daughter just looked up at him and he made sure she stood by his side and never went anywhere else. "Anyway, to answer your question it's going to be a military base."

"A what?" Brad asked, not being sure if he'd heard that correctly.

Why would they build that? What use is it gonna have?

Thomas nodded.

"I gotta say, building a base in the middle of this desert was a pretty good idea. I mean, who's gonna look for a military base in Utah?" The man asked, immediately catching everyone's attention and making the boys' face fall a little.

"What?" Rocky asked, feeling his heart rate speed up a little.

"Yeah, nobody really pays attention to Utah, so this is the last place people would look, wouldn't it? I don't think anybody's really heard of the Escalante Desert before, let alone where it is if they have. I reckon this place could be something special in the future." Thomas said.

At that moment, the five boys felt sick as well as feeling very, very shocked.

"And to think, this place wouldn't even have a future if it wasn't for you guys. Everything that is to happen to this place from this point onwards is thanks to you. So… Thank you."

"No problem…" Rocky said, even though – and the other four – were slowly starting to wish they never agreed to build this for the man.

David came back over "Hey there little guy," he said, ruffling Thomas' daughters' hair before looking at the boys "look, what you've done is incredible. So, whether you like it or not, I've come up with a way to repay you. We're going to name this place after you. Now, I did have many abbreviations in mind with your names – one was the 'B.R.R.A.L. Unit', but that doesn't sound right or make any sense. So I came up with another one."

"Which is..?" Luke asked.

"'The H.I.L.L.S. Unit'. It spells hills which makes sense because this place is hidden behind the hills of this desert… but it doesn't mean that. It means 'Hemmings, Iriwin, Lynch, Lynch, Simpson''. Hence why it's spelt 'H.I.L.L.S.' instead of 'HILLS'."

"That's great… Thank you…" Rocky said, putting a fake smile on his face as well as the others.

"Anyway, we're gonna head off now. Thank you so much." Thomas said, walking off with David to go back to the car they'd came in.

The five boys noticed Thomas' daughter hadn't moved, she was looking up at the five of them. "Aren't you going to go with your Dad?" Ashton asked, nice as he was trying not to panic.

"Why are you so sad?" She asked.

"We're not." Ross said.

"Yeah you are. What's wrong?"

Ross shook his head "Nothing, it doesn't matter. It's… ugh…"

"Please tell me. I can keep a secret." She said.

The boys were silent and Brad, Ross and Rocky looked at Luke and Ashton for one of them to explain to her as they were more experienced with kids and how to be nice and explain things to them – and then Luke noticed and looked at Ashton who rolled his eyes.

Why is it always him that gets given this kind of job?

"Would you believe us if we said we're from the future? And we work here." Ashton said.

"Really?" The girl asked, smiling.

"Really."

"What's it like?" She asked "because my Daddy said when I'm older, I'll be able to work here if I want."

"It's good – it has its happy and sad moments and right now, in the future, it's a bit of a sad one."

"Why?"

"There's just some people who aren't very nice there and they're trying to hurt people on purpose for no apparent reason – probably 'cause they think it's fun. But we're trying to stop them and we're finding it hard to." Ashton explained.

"It'll be okay. You'll do it, you'll save everyone from those horrible people. I believe in you."

Ashton smiled a little "Thanks."

"What's your name?" The girl asked.

"Ashton."

"I'm Priscilla," She said, making the boys' face drop even more than they already had "but I get called 'Cilla' for short sometimes."

"Cilla! Come on. Stop bugging them." Thomas called from his car.

Kid!Priscilla waved at the five boys "Bye! See you later!"

"Literally." Rocky said through gritted teeth as she ran off to the car back to her Dad.

"What the fuck just happened?" Brad asked, running his hands through his hair 'cause too much had happened in the last five minutes for his brain to handle.

"No… This isn't right… We… We couldn't have… We shouldn't have…" Ross said.

Mortified wasn't even the word to describe how they were feeling.

It was their fault.

Everything that had ever happened there was their fault for agreeing to build it because if they hadn't built it, nobody ever would have 'cause that man would never have found anyone to. At all.

"We should have let that man tell everyone how we got here and make everyone think he was crazy." Rocky said, much rather having that happen than the base.

"Don't say that. We can still fix this – it doesn't matter that we built the base and basically kick started this whole situation, alright? What matters is that we finish what we started, okay?" Ashton said, trying to reassure everyone.

"So… that's it? We end it now? We go stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey?" Brad asked.

The boys all turned and looked at the others who were a short distance away from them, talking and obviously enjoying themselves whilst it lasted as they knew it wasn't going to be long until they got to work – but the five boys knew for a fact that this could be the very last time everyone here at this present moment enjoys themselves.

Rocky shook his head "No, not yet. I say we stay here just for this night and then we go do it tomorrow. You never know… This could be the last tim—you know what, I ain't even gonna get started on that deep shit." Rocky said, making the other four laugh.

"GUYS! Guys! We built the base! We built the fucking base!" Joe shouted, running out of the base entrance like a maniac and over to the boys.

Rocky looked at the watch on his wrist and back at Joe "Yep… You're about five hours too late."

 _(Immortals)_

 ** _Next:_** _The Last Night Together_

* * *

 **:))))))))) NOPE. Refusing to believe the story is officially at the top of it's slope towards the end - and it's gonna start going down after the next chapter NOPE.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE! :D**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad with Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on when Dan & Phil were making the wrist-epoch's?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley & Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the plan to take down Priscilla, Maxwell & Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Thomas & David?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them building/creating the base?_**

 ** _Was there ANY point throughout this chapter where you may have realised or had a suspicion it was the base they all built?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the base? Did you ever wonder what it stood for or just think it was named H.I.L.L.S. bc it was behind the hills in the desert?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla as a child?_**

 ** _Do you think she still has some of that goodness left in her?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them deciding to spend one last night together in case it is the last?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	17. The Last Night Together

**6,782 words without the authors note wow.**

* * *

 **Argh, the last chapter before everything starts kicking off & the story starts drawing to a close ahhhh. I actually remember planning this chapter & what would happen.**

 **Any whooo...**

 **Lets go & enjoy what is The Last Night Together.**

 **No, seriously. Enjoy it.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 17  
** _The Last Night Together_ **  
**

It was night time and very dark so Ross and Rydel had made a fire out of the two tables they made out of wood to give them some sort of light as they had nothing else apart from the light off the stars and the moon. But at least the fire gave them all warmth too as it got cold at night in the desert.

"Awe man, really? Did you have to bring that up?" Rocky asked, looking at Ross like he could kill him but also looking embarrassed.

"And that is another thing to add to the long list of how we figured out Luke and Ashton were together." Ross said, laughing a little and he laughed even more when he seen the unamused look on Rocky's face.

Ashton shrugged "Hey, you weren't having any sort of protests at the time."

"I was." Luke said.

"Yeah, we know, we could tell by the look on your face." Brad said.

They were talking about the time when they all played truth or dare a few years ago and Rocky got dared to kiss Ashton for ten seconds – even though it ended in making out for ten or so seconds. Back then, Luke and Ashton were together at the time but nobody knew, even though you could kind of tell by the look on Luke's face as he looked like he wanted to kill Rocky.

"How did you find out they were together, Brad?" Samara asked.

Brad shook his head "You don't wanna know – I was the first to know!"

"Oh come on, I'm sure it's not that bad." Mia said.

Brad looked at Mia and raised his brow "Alright, okay then if it's not that bad—"

"Brad, I will kill you." Luke said.

"When you were little did you ever 'walk in' on your parents?" Brad asked.

"Ooohh…" Ross hissed, scrunching up his face in disgust. That is a sight nobody needs to see, and Ross can thankfully say that he has never seen that.

"Yeah. That was literally the case." Brad said.

"So, how did everyone find out about Ross and Brad dating?" Ashton asked.

"What?!" Ross and Brad shouted.

"I'm kidding, I'm sorry! But, with Will gone, someone's gotta keep banging on about it and praying for it to happen." Ashton said, with a little shrug.

Joe gasped a little "Hold it! I just had an idea!"

"What?" Michael asked.

"Ross, if you haven't found someone by the time you're twenty-five and Brad, if you haven't found someone or got it on with Mia by the time you're twenty-five—"

"Duuuuuude!" Brad scolded, because of him saying that whilst Mia was there.

"—you two have to get together – as in dating, marriage, kids, at each other's death beds when you get old get together." Joe finished.

Ross and Brad glanced at each other and back at Joe.

"Do it." Luke said.

"Is that your Father's blessing?" Ross asked, making Luke roll his eyes.

"You know what, whatever, fine." Brad said.

Everyone then looked at Ross who sighed "Ugh, fine, I guess so."

"Shake on it." Joe said.

Ross and Brad rolled their eyes before leaning over to one another and shaking each other's hand.

"Now seal it with a kiss." Ashton said.

"I'm gonna drop kick you off that roof if you don't shut up." Ross said, pointing at the base roof and making Ashton laugh.

A little while later, Joe was sat outside the huts by himself whilst everyone else was elsewhere around, inside the hut or outside with someone. He seen Dan sat with Samara, being friendly with her, but maybe a little bit too friendly as he had his arm round her and Dan got up from the floor and started walking away from her.

Joe got up from where he sat on the steps and jumped in Dan's path as he was away from the fire "Hey, where are you going?" Joe asked.

"To pee. Wanna come?" Dan asked.

"Oh, sorry." He said, stepping out of his path and walking away.

"What's wrong?" Dan asked, sensing something was up by the way he was acting and isolating himself from everyone.

Joe faced him again and shook his head "Nothing… I was just a bit lonely over here that's all."

Dan looked around at where everyone was "Well, there's plenty of people around for you to talk to. Or you can come sit with me and Samara."

Joe shook his head again "No thanks, I don't wanna be a third wheel."

Dan rolled his eyes "No you won't."

"I will. I don't understand why you two aren't together yet. It's annoying me."

"How?"

"'Cause you're wasting your time not being with her that by the time it comes for you to get together it'll be too late. You or her could have moved on or worse. One of you could be dead – and the situation we're in now, there's a small chance that could happen," Joe said, looking fed up and Dan sighed, having a small idea about why Joe was going off on this tangent "I just… I don't know. I hate seeing love like this go to waste."

Dan stayed silent, not wanting to press on this matter as it appeared to be triggering stuff for Joe and Dan didn't want to trigger it anymore. "I promise I won't. Let me wait till tomorrows happened and I promise I'll do something about it, it's just… I don't want us to get together now and have one of us die tomorrow. That'd hurt even more than it would if we weren't together. Yeah, I'd be regretful for not getting with her, but it's better than having to suffer that heartbreak. I've seen it happen to others and I can only imagine how it feels."

Joe shook his head "You don't want to feel it."

"Listen, I know what you're thinking about and that it's probably triggering certain things, but… you need to try and not think about it or at least try to move on. You can't think of that in this situation and I'm sorry to say that but you just can't. You need to be one hundred per cent focused on this plan 'cause anything could happen or go wrong. Just go talk to your friends and have fun as if it is the last night we're all going to be together – just assume every single one of us is going to die tomorrow or that you're never going to see us again. It'll take your mind off things."

Joe cracked a small smile "Thanks. You've always been a guy of… would you say wise words?"

Dan thought for a moment "I wouldn't call myself wise."

"No, but, in the end you're always right which is… quite worrying sometimes," Joe said, and Dan shrugged not arguing with that as in most cases he had been right "what do you think of the plan? Do you think it's going to work?"

Dan nodded with a smile "I'm confident. I'm a little bit too confident in fact." Dan said, looking off to the side with a worried face as he'd never been so confident and had so much faith in anything which made Joe laugh softly.

"How confident are you on us all surviving?" Joe asked, suddenly bringing a damper on the mood.

Dan looked back at Joe where his smile slowly fell, even though he was trying his best to keep it there "It's a dangerous situation we're in. And unfortunately, when this is all over, if we were all to sit round that fire again not all of us would be there."

Joe breathed deeply as he knew that answer was coming "I don't want to die."

"Nobody does. But unfortunately, a lot of people are going to die tomorrow. And I know you've got a little girl at home, Joe, and you don't want to leave her an orphan – you've got someone to go home to so… I'll do everything I can to make sure you stay alive. Even if it kills me myself."

Joe laughed again "Yeah, but, knowing your luck that wrist-epoch will save your life again."

Dan laughed.

"Thank you, Dan. For everything." Joe said.

"No problem. Thank you too. Now if you excuse me, I need to go before my bladder bursts." Dan said.

"Yeah, I was kinda wondering why you were stood there with your legs crossed so tightly."

"Yeah, bye." Dan said, quickly running off to go pee.

Brad stood by himself a short way from the fire, but not near the hut, and facing away from everyone as he was lost deep in thought. Of course Ashton noticed so he went over and gently nudged into him "Hey."

Brad glanced at him "Hey."

"Why the hateful look? What have I done?" Ashton asked, slightly joking but he seen the look Brad give him.

Brad shook his head "Nothing, I'm tired."

"Maybe you should go to bed."

Brad scoffed "Yeah, like I'll get any sleep with everyone out here talking and messing on. Not to mention tomorrows probably going to be the most nerve wrecking day of my life—well, for everyone here. What if something goes wrong?"

"Nothing's going to go wrong, it'll be fine."

Brad sighed shakily as he was quite frightened for what tomorrow would bring. Neither of the boys said a word as Brad kept staring off into the distance whilst Ashton watched him "I'm not one hundred per cent convinced you are evil and want to kill us," Ashton said, making Brad look at him "I mean, if you were, you'd have done it by now. You've had months to do it, so why haven't you?"

Brad stayed silent "I don't know."

"Yeah you do, stop lying and tell me."

Brad continued to give Ashton the silent treatment until Ashton walked closer to him and put an arm round him "I don't want to kill you all – but sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. It was a thing that happened before I came to the base and met you guys, it happened throughout most of my teen years. One day I'd love everyone and the next I'd hate them, one day I'd be happy, the next I'm sad and it continued on like that – and fair enough, I had a good reason for that to be happened. But once I came to the base it started to go away and it was almost gone, but then all that happened seven months ago and brought it back again and made it even worse than what it used to be. Extremely worse. I've never wanted to kill any of my family or friends in my entire life – well, apart from one."

"How come? Is that 'friend' the reason for you being that way? Did they trigger it all?" Ashton asked, where Brad gave Ashton a look that told him the friend obviously was and whatever he or she did was the cause of it "wanna share the story?"

Luke was talking to Rocky but out the corner of his eye he seen Brad and Ashton talking – Brad looked a little upset and by the end, Ashton ended up hugging him like he was trying to comfort him. So Luke excused himself from Rocky and walked over to the two of them.

He stood in the middle of them and draped his arms round them when they had pulled away from the hug "How are my two favourite boys doing?" Luke asked.

Brad and Ashton gave him a funny look. "Two favourite boys?" Brad questioned.

"Well, if I say you're my favourite he's going to get offended," Luke said, nodding at Ashton "and if I say he's my favourite you're gonna get offended."

"Right, okay… Is there a reason why you're over here?" Ashton asked, not seeing the relevance of him being here and saying what he's saying.

"I just saw you both over here and thought I'd come over. I didn't know if something was wrong and I have to kick someone's ass or…"

"Every thing's fine." Brad said.

"Bullshit, you've been crying, your eyes are reddish and your cheeks are wet – you rarely cry, so that means I do have someone's ass to kick. But whatever. I'll pretend you're telling the truth and drag it out of you after tomorrows over." Luke said, patting Brad on the chest before putting his arm back round Ashton.

Rydel and Calum were sat at the fire, away from people so nobody could hear them talk. "How long do you reckon until he finds out?" Rydel asked, looking at Michael who was talking to Rocky.

"I don't know. I thought he would've found out by now, but it doesn't look like he's going to until this is all over." Calum said.

"Yeah, and after this is all over he'll never know."

"Which is a good thing," Calum said, making Rydel sigh. He nudged her as she looked sad and worried "Smile. After all the years of us suffering in 2037, we don't have to suffer anymore after tomorrow. Tomorrow we save the world and can live in a normal world and have a normal life and be happy."

Rydel gave him a small smile "Yeah, but… The three of us are going to disappear into non-existence after tomorrow. And you won't exist at all."

Calum looked away from her as his happy expression faded "Yeah… I was kinda trying to forget about that part. At least you're going to be reborn and brought back into existence at some point in the future."

"What about Michael?" Rydel asked, where Calum turned his head and gave her a _'seriously?'_ kind of look "oh, yeah…" She said, remembering/realising.

Michael came over to them both and sat down beside Rydel "Helloo. Whatcha talking about?"

"Not a lot."

"I saw you both looking at me, I'm not stupid."

"Relax, we were just looking in that direction – plus, we were talking about what the future's going to be like for us three after tomorrow." Calum said, reassuring and lying to him.

Michael frowned a little as he knew what that meant for Calum – he won't exist anymore because Ross and Brad aren't together, haven't slept together or Brad hasn't been injected with anything to make him pregnant in order for Calum to be born.

For now, the universe was obviously keeping him here and around to save the world before getting rid of him.

"Have you had anymore voices echoing in your head?" Rydel asked.

"Nope. Also, I've figured something out about them – I think I may have said this before. But, every time something changes in the future that we knew was going to happen, I get them. It's like… they're warning and telling me what's going to happen. So far… Everything's been fine and there's been nothing to worry about." Michael said.

"And that's all that matters. Just let us know if something pops up that you think is something to worry about." She said, getting up and Michael nodded. Rydel smiled before leaving.

Michael furrowed his brow and stared into space – meaning another voice echo was happening. Calum noticed the look on his face which told him he was obviously having another one.

 _"MICHAEL! STOP, STOP!" Rydel shouted._

 _"WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! WHY DIDN'T ANYBODY TELL ME?!" Michael shouted, clearly more than furious._

 _"Michael… Please… Calm down." Calum said._

 _"I will NOT calm down."_

 _"Michael, ple—" Rydel went to say but was cut off._

 _"SHUT UP!"_

"Are you alright, Mike?" Calum asked, getting a little concerned.

Michael looked at Calum, feeling a bit suspicious and weary of Calum – and Rydel too. He nodded, forcing a smile on his face "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Alright, good. I need the toilet, I'll be back in a moment." Calum said, getting up off the floor and going.

Michael watched Calum leave with some sort of glare – now knowing he and Rydel were hiding something from him. And he was going to find out what before this was all over.

Ashley and Landon were sat on the roof of the huts they were all sleeping in, watching everyone. "How do you think everyone is back in 2015?" Ashley asked.

"Alright I hope. At least they better be." Landon responded.

"Do you think they got Renzo out of the cells?"

"I highly doubt it. We'll probably have to break him out ourselves."

Ashley sighed "This is one of those moments where I wish I stayed at home and never bothered coming here. But… if I didn't, some things may not have happened that have got us here."

"And those things may have affected if the world gets saved tomorrow or not."

Ashley turned her head to him "Do you think they'll save it?"

Landon looked down at everyone who was on the ground "I don't know…" He said, looking back at her.

The pair continued to stare at each other when they felt a hand on their shoulders, making them jump. "Jesus Christ, Ashton." Ashley said, putting her hand on her heart.

Ashton let out a small laugh "I understand you two want to be alone up here, but save it for later."

"What if we don't get a later?" Landon asked.

"You will, don't worry. Now come on, get down from here before you fall down." Ashton said, guiding them a safe way off the roof.

Everyone sat back round the fire – and it was for the last time as it was getting late and everyone was getting tired. Phil groaned, getting up from the floor "I guess I'll see you all in the morning."

"Are you going to bed already?" Dan asked.

Phil nodded "Today and the last few months have been extremely tiring. And tomorrows going to be even more tiring. Even though I won't get any sleep – I'll probably be too worried about tomorrow and constantly thinking about what might go wrong."

"Hey now, don't say stuff like that. It's gonna be fine." Dan reassured.

"Oo, is this you finishing off your inspirational and emotional speech?" Luke asked, where he received a funny look from Dan "remember back in the forest when I told you to go back to the base and you almost went off on a tangent about not leaving me behind?"

"Ooohh…" Dan said, secretly hoping that Luke had forgotten about that.

"Yeah, that one. Why don't you finish it off to make Phil feel better and confident about tomorrow?" Luke asked.

"Shouldn't Rocky be doing that? After all he is sort of the leader of this whole thing."

"Well he can make his after yours."

"He will not." Rocky said.

Phil let out a small laugh and smiled a little "Go on, Dan. I'm intrigued – you've never been inspirational or emotional."

Dan made an "ugh" sound and got up off the floor, motioning for Phil to sit back down "I will say this now – this will be the first and last time you hear something like this come from my mouth."

"Oh, just get on with it." Joe said.

Dan breathed deeply "I've been here for as long as Joe has – which is years. Phil's been here longer but there's a difference between my time and his time here. He didn't practically watch all you guys grow up from day one when you started the base. I did and so has Joe, but maybe all this hasn't touched him emotionally like it has me."

"No, but once you've finished I'm sure it will – so thanks in advance." Joe said, sarcastically which made a couple people laugh.

"My point is… that…"

"You're finally admitting you care?" Ashton asked.

"Of course I care, I wouldn't be here otherwise. In fact, I care a little bit too much. And with what I was going to say back in the forest was in a little bit of panic, but truth. Luke, you told me to go back to the base and leave you – but I didn't want to even though you were completely one hundred per cent fine with it. I could be there right now if I wanted, granted I may be locked in the cells or dead if I did. Yet, you still insisted because you'd already put me in enough danger. No, no. I've put me danger. We've all put ourselves in danger. It's not your fault, it's our own. It's our own fault for being so loyal and caring for you. 'Cause wherever you go, we go – unless there's a very good reason as to why we can't or are unable to. Like for instance, what happened when you got arrested and you had to run without us otherwise everything would have got a little suspicious. Or, in an extreme case, if one of you died. To be honest, one of you dying – or all of you – is the only good enough reason for me not to follow you wherever you go, especially in a situation like this. From the moment Luke and Ashton got arrested we've all been in this together whether if we liked it or not. There wasn't exactly any leaving behind there was the? 'Cause we all ended up back together again thanks to them three," Dan said, pointing at Michael, Rydel and Calum "and I'm gonna be brutally honest – if you'd have told me this was going to happen the first time I met you five and what you're about to do tomorrow was going to happen, I'd have laughed and said that 'you have no chance, the world will burn'."

"Why's that?" Landon asked.

"Well, Rocky and Ashton's first meeting ended up in Ashton punching him, Luke barely talked and I was almost pretty sure Ross and Brad were going to kill each other. It was a disaster. Although, Will's little plan of getting you all to work together was hilarious – even though it killed like a bitch."

"What was that?" Ashley asked.

"Basically, he had me, Dan and Joe disguise ourselves in balaclavas and pretend we were evil, trying to cause harm and robbing from the base whilst they were all on their own and it ended up in the three of us being seriously hurt." Caspar said.

"It was funny though." Ross said, being amused at that memory.

"My point is that I love you guys," Dan said, cringing for a moment which everyone laughed at "and… I'm proud."

Everyone started clapping.

Dan rolled his eyes "Never again." He said, sitting down.

There was a silence before Ross patted Rocky on the back, almost pushing him forwards "Go on big boy, your turn." Ross said.

"What? Why?" Rocky asked.

"As Dan said, you're pretty much the leader and in charge here," He said, where Rocky raised his brow as if to say Ross was stupid for thinking he was going to do it "oh come on, Rocky. King Arthur had to make a speech to his knights before going into battle to give them confidence and motivation."

Rocky sighed, getting up from the ground "Alright, but you all know for a fact that I have a way with words." Rocky said, meaning that his speech wasn't going to be good and he was more than likely going to insult a few people.

Probably Luke and Ashton as he did that on a daily basis.

He moved around trying to find the right words to say whilst everyone waited for him.

"Tomorrow… Not gonna lie, it's going to be an eventful day – and in more ways than one. Obviously we're going to stop and beat Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey, but at the same time we might not – but I have a massive amount of confidence that we will and it's not very often that I have confidence in things. Things are going to happen—look, I don't wanna do this. We all know this is going to end in me offending one or two of you."

"Keep going." Ashton said.

Rocky rolled his eyes "I'm not sure how long Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey have been planning this but I think it's been a while. From day one they haven't exactly struck me as likeable people, there's always been something about them that I haven't liked and I knew that someday – sooner or later – that I would find out why and well… I never thought that it would lead me to here, trying to kill them. And it might take a lot to kill them, but I know we will – I know they'll die the evil and bitter humans they are and I hope it's slowly so they suffer," He said, making a couple of people laugh softly

"so tomorrow, I don't know about you guys but I want to end all this for good no matter what it takes 'cause I am sick to death of them three making us and other people suffer, and if we don't succeed tomorrow… I don't know how much long I'll be able to take of it," Rocky looked down, sighing a little as a small sad look went across his face "but… I also know they won't be the only ones to die. Yes, obviously some – or most – guards are going to die because they're on their side, but I'm talking about the people who aren't on their side, they're gonna die too if they don't go to where we put them so we have to make sure they are there and safe because they don't deserve to die. I can promise most of them will live and most of the guards will die, but I can't promise that all of us will still be here by the end of tomorrow. We can't save everyone no matter how much we want to – even ourselves. I know it's harsh and scary saying that, but it's true. Anything could happen so… just please be careful. I know I may not show that I care by what I say and how I act with you guys but to me that's how I show I do care and… I don't know. If anything happens to any of you tomorrow, I don't know what I'll do. It may not be my fault but I'll still feel guilty 'cause I should've looked after you more. I know it's a weird thing to say coming from me, but I love you guys – some more than others, because I wouldn't be Rocky if it wasn't that way, let's face it. And… I guess… all that's left to say is… good luck."

Everyone was finally going to sleep, apart from Brad who was sat outside on the steps leading up to the hut with Mia. Everyone else was inside. Mia sighed, looking around at the desert "Man… I never thought I would ever be sat in the 1950s. I didn't even think time travel was possible."

"I didn't either. But then I came to the base and everything that I thought wasn't real turned out to be." Brad said.

"How did you end up at the base? I've never had that conversation with you." Mia said, curious as that was something nobody really knew about Brad – the events that led up to him being at the base.

"Nobody's had that conversation with me. Nobody really knows how I got here apart from Ashton, and he only just found out a few hours ago. I don't think anybody's ever going to know if I'm being honest, it's a long freaking story," Brad said, making Mia laugh softly, but Brad could see by the look in her eyes that she wanted him to tell her. He sighed "Basically, long story short, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, there was patrol from the base around and they arrested me and brought me back to the base to lock me up and do god knows what to me. The rest is history – with obviously more to it."

"What were they going to do to you?"

"Kill me or wipe my memory of me ever seeing the patrol. I mean I knew they weren't normal police or FBI – my friend thought they were. Turns out I was right and a lot smarter than people give me credit for."

"Friend?" Mia questioned with her brow furrowed, but not in a nasty way like she was questioning Brad actually had friends, it's just he's never talked about his friends back in England before – she was learning more about him now than she had done before "you have a friend that's outside the base?"

"Had," Brad corrected "but I have friends back in England outside the base, I just don't talk about them – the same as everyone probably."

Ross came out of the door that lead outside and seen Brad and Mia sat on the steps. He opened the door quietly and stayed at the door as they walked.

"So, er… What was Joe talking about earlier?" Mia asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When he made you and Ross make a promise to each other about getting together if Ross hadn't found someone or if you hadn't – or if you hadn't 'gotten it on' with me by the time you were both twenty-five." She reminded him.

"Oh," Brad said, where Mia raised her brow waiting for him to explain "nearly everyone has it in their head that I… I er… like you."

"Do you?"

"M-maybe a little…"

Mia sighed, looking down which made Ross look questionable at her. "Look, Brad… It's alright that you like me but… I don't like you like that. I thought what we had was just… friendship." Mia said, where Ross' jaw nearly hit the floor.

Brad furrowed his brow "Well, that's funny, 'cause… I didn't think friendship consisted of you kissing each other."

"I only kissed you when you got back from wherever you were because it was a moment of weakness and I was scared."

"Oh, well then…" Brad said, not knowing what to say or make of this.

Mia began to feel bad and she looked at the door where Ross stood. She got up from the floor "I'll see you later." She said, making her way back inside and receiving a small glare from Ross as she did.

Ross sat next to Brad where Mia once was "That went well."

"That was confusing." Brad replied.

"Yeah... I know. I saw and heard."

Ross and Brad looked at each other, obviously not knowing what to make of what just happened "I think I just realised something." Brad said.

"What?" Ross asked.

"We shouldn't bother with love."

"Why?"

"'Cause we have no luck with it."

Ross nodded in agreement "That is true."

"I think the only people that have luck with love is Luke and Ashton."

"That is also true."

Brad sighed "Yeah, the only people that I know with the chance of a happy ending."

Ross nudged him, laughing a little "Stop being so salty about love. You'll get it one day. Just 'cause it didn't work out with Mia doesn't mean loves never gonna work out for you."

Brad shrugged "Maybe. At this rate I'm gonna end up with you 'cause of that promise Joe made us swear to."

"Oh, yeah… Don't worry, I think we'll both have someone by the time we both turn twenty-five." Ross said, nodding reassuringly to him.

Brad sighed, looking across the desert and up at the stars in the sky like he was trying to find a way to get rid of the nervousness and the on-edge feeling he had which was quite obvious to Ross. Ross looked at the desert and the sky too before back at Brad – he looked too nervous, on-edge and unsettled for his liking, and his leg was shaking. "Are you alright?" Ross asked.

"Yeah, I'm just cold."

"Really? 'Cause… I'm pretty warm," He said, and Brad never spoke a word after that "what's wrong?"

Brad shrugged "I don't know, I don't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"You know when you have one of those feelings… that, like… I don't know. Something's about to happen."

"Yeah. I think with what's going to happen tomorrow might be making you feel like that."

Brad immediately looked at Ross and shook his head "No. This is something different. I mean, yeah, it's something to do with tomorrow but… I just… I don't know. I dunno." Brad wiped his face with his hands.

"Maybe you should go to sleep to take your mind off it." Ross suggested.

"Maybe."

"Come on," Ross said, getting up from the floor and pulling Brad up by the arm too "stop getting a stress on and get some sleep." He added, guiding him back inside.

They walked inside and made their way to their room. As they were going, Calum came out of Rydel's room. "What are you doing?" Ross asked.

"I was saying night and making sure she was okay." Calum said.

"Oh, okay. Well… night. See you in the morning."

"Night." Calum said, making his way back to the room he was sharing with Michael.

"You know after tomorrow he's going to disappear into non-existence." Brad said.

"Yeah, I know."

The two boys got back into their room. "Do you really want that to happen though?" Brad asked.

Ross shrugged "I don't know."

"What do you mean you 'don't know'?" Brad asked, shutting the door behind him as they got in the room.

"If we don't stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey tomorrow, yeah it matters that he's going to 'cause that means it's up to us two to make sure he's born, but if we do stop them it doesn't matter if he's born because that means the futures changed and none of what we saw in 2037 is going to happen."

"I guess. But… Rydel and Michael are obviously going to be re-born and come back – he's not. I'm just saying, I don't think it's fair."

Ross sighed "Yeah, I know."

Luke and Ashton were in their room. It was the last night that they would be sharing a room together before they go back to the base in 2015 and have to share with Rocky again. Luke groaned from the bed he laid in at the thought. "What's wrong?" Ashton asked.

"We have to go back to sharing a room with Rocky tomorrow night."

"That's if we save everyone." Ashton said.

"Are you doubting we will?" Luke asked.

"No, of course not. I'm just giving you some hope on that subject," Ashton said, and Luke raised his brow "look, what would you rather happen? Share a room with Rocky again or have the world end?"

"Ooo… That's a tough one." Luke said, looking thoughtful and making Ashton laugh.

Ashton then looked away from Luke where his laugh/smile fell. "What's wrong?" Luke asked, noticing.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

Luke got up from the bed he was laid on and sat down next to Ashton on his "Don't lie to me."

"No, honestly, I'm fine." Ashton said, where the smile sort of returned to his face.

Luke didn't believe him but he chose to go along with it anyway for arguments sake "Are you scared about tomorrow?"

Ashton shook his head "No, not really. I'm pretty confident. What about you?" He asked, now with a genuine smile on his face.

"Yeah, same. Ish."

"Ish?"

Luke shrugged, seeming uneasy "I don't know. I kinda… I don't know. I have confidence about tomorrow but I can't help but feel nervous and… a little scared."

Ashton ran his hand through Luke's hair in a reassuring kind of way "Don't worry," He said, where Luke an unsure noise about that. Ashton laughed softly "Luke, trust me. You're being nervous for nothing. By the end of the day, I promise you it'll be all over and all this will have drawn to a close."

"I guess."

Ashton kissed him on the lips softly "Now come on, let's go to sleep."

They stood up and went over to their bed, going to get in it, when they heard a knock on the door and Rocky came through seconds later. "Hey guys." He said.

"Hey."

"We were just going to sleep." Luke said.

"Oh," Rocky said, before shivering "sleep? In this condition? It's freezing in here," He questioned, and Luke and Ashton glanced at each other "seriously, I think you guys should sleep in a warmer room."

"How can we? There is no other spare room. Plus, it's not even cold." Ashton said, not understanding where this cold was coming from that Rocky was feeling. There used to be spare beds in other rooms but once everyone decided what room they wanted to sleep in, the man came back and took the spare beds away to give them away to people who needed them.

"Oh, yeah," Rocky said, and seconds later it looked like the most brilliant idea in the world had struck him – but then he looked like he had given up, but he was obviously faking his 'giving up' face "oh, damn it. The only other room with two spare beds is mine," He said, where then Luke and Ashton finally seen why he was in here and where it was going "but you know what, I guess I'll be able to suck up sharing a room with you both if it keeps you warm – after all, we will have to go back to it tomorrow."

"Rocky…" Ashton said.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you want us to come into your room because it's cold in here?" Ashton asked.

"Positive," Rocky said, looking at Luke who wasn't convinced in the slightest "jeez, sorry for caring about my friends!"

Luke and Ashton continued to stare at him until he would tell the truth. Rocky started to become uncomfortable by the way they were staring at him before finally he broke "Alright, I want you guys to come into my room 'cause I miss you and I'm scared that it'll be the last time I share a room with you both."

"There we go." Ashton said, getting up from the bed.

"I mean, I don't even care if you both share a bed I miss you that much."

"Yeah, alright, we get it." Luke said, finding Rocky's 'caring' tangent weird – mainly 'cause he rarely goes off on one as he isn't that type of person. Especially to them two.

And especially not Luke.

"I… I just. Ugh," Rocky walked over to them both and pulled them into a three-way hug "I love you guys."

"Okay, now I'm scared again." Luke said, as Rocky never hugs or has ever said that he loves anyone.

Rocky pulled away from the hug "Come on then." He said, leaving the room to guide the way to his room, happily as he did a little skip out the room.

"I think we need to go back to 2037."

"Why?" Ashton asked.

"'Cause I think we left Rocky Lynch there somewhere."

The two were about to leave when Ashton noticed a silver chain round Luke's neck. He furrowed his brow and stopped him from leaving the room. "What?" Luke asked.

"What's that round your neck?" Ashton asked.

Luke was confused for a moment but then he remembered "Oh, er…"

Ashton gently took it out from where it was hiding underneath his top where he seen it was a locket (a boys locket) – which was one that Ashton got him a very long time ago 'cause he didn't know what else to get him and he didn't have a lot of money at the time, but he didn't think he'd kept it.

"I gave that to you when you were like… sixteen. You kept it?"

"I never took it off."

Ashton opened it up and seen a photo of them both inside it from a short while ago. He smiled a little and looked back at Luke who was suddenly becoming all nervous and shy, blushing a little – which is something he hasn't done for a while around Ashton. And by a while he means when they first started dating.

Ashton stroked Luke's cheek with one of his hands and Luke took that hand of Ashton's with his own and kissed it gently before they hugged. Luke buried his head in the crook of Ashton's neck.

The door opened and Rocky came in, about to say something but he seen the pair of them.

Instead he sighed, deciding to leave them be for one final night.

 ** _Next:_** _ARC 4 of 5:_ _Good Luck_

* * *

 **And that was The Last Night Together.**

 **Are we ready for the beginning of the end? The next chapter marks the halfway point and that is where the story starts going by really fast & the next thing you know... It's over. Enjoy it whilst it lasts.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the story of Rocky & Ashton kissing?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the deal he made Ross & Brad do?_**

 ** _Do you think they'll end up doing it?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Joe & their scene together at the start?_**

 ** _Thoughts on their conversation about Dan & Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad, Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _What do you think the secret is that they're hiding from Michael?_**

 ** _Do you think he'll find it out?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan's speech?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky's speech?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mia?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad's past? What do you think happened?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them with Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad's 'feeling' about tomorrow?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton at the end?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky at the end?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke, Ashton & Rocky?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the next of the next chapter? What do you think is going to happen?_**


	18. Good Luck

**And here we are. The half way point.**

 **Enjoy the story whilst it lasts.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 18  
** _ARC 4 of_ _5 : Good Luck_ **  
**

It was the next morning and everyone was awake, and pretty much ready to go.

Dan and Phil had the wrist-epoch's and were giving them to everyone as they already had theirs. Dan got to Joe and gave him his, tying it round his wrist. After, they looked at one another and Dan could see the fear/nervousness in Joe's eyes, so he smiled at him a little and nodded as if to say _"you'll do fine"_. Joe gave him an unsure smile back.

Someone tapped Joe on his shoulder and he turned round to see Michael. "Hey, can I just look at your wrist-epoch for a second? I need to make sure something's right on it." He said.

"Why? Is it broke?" Joe asked, getting even more nervous than he was.

Michael shook his head "Oh, no, no, no, don't worry it's fine, I've had to do it with Caspar, Ross and Brad's too so you're not the only one."

"Oh, okay."

Ashton was with Courtney, Rydel, Calum and Michael who were getting the microchip in his arm that Prsicilla, Maxwell and Harvey had planted into him to work and start flashing again – Rocky and Luke were also there, watching as they done so. Calum was fiddling with it in his arm which was making Ashton hiss in pain a little.

"There we go! It's working, it's on." Courtney said, looking at the tablet Ashley stole that detected where they were.

"Thank, God." Ashton said, being relieved that it was over due to the pain he was going through.

Calum wrapped a bandage around Ashton's arm as he had to cut into it to get at the microchip as it wouldn't come out, the only other way it would was if they had the thing that removes it that Prisiclla has.

"Do you know what to do once you're there?" Rocky asked.

Ashton nodded "Yeah, I've got it – just act normal and calm and then tell them the story of why I'm the 'only one' alive and you guys aren't."

"You do have a convincing story don't you 'cause if you don't you know they'll—" Luke said, being worried and was cut off by Ashton.

"Yeah, I have, jeez. The story I have can't be any more convincing than it already is."

"How do we know that?" Rocky asked, almost as worried as Luke, but he wasn't going to physically show it on his face.

"I've heard it," Rydel said "it's pretty convincing. I almost fell for it myself."

Rocky looked at Ashton and nodded, patting him on the shoulder "Good luck and please… please don't fuck up."

Ashton let out a small laugh and went over to Phil who put his wrist-epoch on him. Luke watched and waited until Phil was finished before going over to him "Hey." He said.

"Hey." Ashton said, tightening the wrist-epoch a bit as Phil hadn't done such a good job of it.

"As Rocky said, please don't fuck up."

"I won't. I promise."

"If anything goes wrong, even the slightest thing—"

"—Luke—"

"—you use that thing to get you out of there and back to me, alright?"

Ashton smiled reassuringly "Yes, I will. Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine."

Luke sighed, not knowing what to say to him because Ashton was so confident and laid back about this – which was probably the best way to be in this situation if he's being honest. "How… How did you end up like this?" Luke asked.

"Like what?"

"So… You. Confident, brave, vicious yet still lovable, kind and caring."

"Well, being surrounded by all this stuff for years kinda changes you as a person – in more ways than one." Ashton said, letting out a small laugh.

"You're telling me…" Luke said "good luck. I love you."

"Thanks. I love you too."

They both kissed and Luke held onto Ashton's hand as he stepped away, and he let go when Ashton became too far away from him and he wasn't able to hold on any more.

Everyone looked at Ashton as he was the first person to leave and start the job off, he looked at everyone nervously. "Well then… I guess this is it… See you on the other side I guess." Ashton said.

Everyone was either watching in some sort of nerves or smile – like Michael.

Michael smiled as he watched Ashton, but his smile fell slowly as he started getting several voices in his head – but he couldn't make out some of the voices.

 _"Oh by the way, Luke… Did you know there's a setting on those things that makes you disappear into the future or past but without the wrist-epoch? Sometimes you can even set a timer for when you want it to go off." Abasi said._

 _"NO!" Ashton shouted._

 _"You won't shoot me 'cause you'll hit your friend." A male voice said._

 ** _BANG!_**

 _"BRAD!" Ross shouted._

 _"You won't regret it sir, I can promise you that now." Michael said._

 _"Catch him if you can." The same male voice as before said._

 _Luke sobbed "No…"_

 _"Please. Please don't do this to me." Brad said, crying._

Michael's eyes widened and he looked at Ashton who was about to leave when suddenly he ran towards him "ASHTON!" Michael screamed.

Ashton jumped looking at him and the next thing he knew Michael grabbed hold of him round the waist, not letting go "No. Don't go. Stay here."

"Michael!" Ashton said, not being able to move.

"Michael, Jesus, let go of him." Calum said, going over to try and pry him off Ashton.

"No! He can't go! He has to stay here! Get someone else to take his place!" Michael screamed, almost crying.

Rocky came over and helped Calum to pry Michael from him. "Michael, let me go, you're hurting me!" Ashton said, refraining from hitting him so that he would let go.

"NO! you can't go!" Michael screamed, in the middle of breaking down, and Rocky and Calum finally managed to get him off Ashton and drag him away "NOOOO!"

"Go, now!" Rocky said, as Courtney handed Ashton the tablet that had the trackers on. Ashton pressed the button and he disappeared in a flash of blue light, back to 2015.

"NO!" Michael shouted, breaking out of their grip but there was obviously nothing he could do now.

"What the hell was that about?!" Calum asked, looking at Michael who looked completely traumatised.

Michael looked round at everyone who was looking at him funny and concerned for his mental health. He then looked over to Brad, who looked a little concerned, and as Michael looked at him he stared at Brad in some sort of trance.

Rydel and Calum glanced at each other.

Brad started to get a bit scared and majorly uncomfortable as to why Michael was looking at him and the way he was too.

"You…" Michael said.

"Me?" Brad questioned.

Michael stepped towards him "Yeah, you… I've seen you before."

"Obviously, you've spent the last ten months and a bit with me."

"No… Before now. Before you were brought to 2037."

"Michael…" Calum said.

"Well I don't know where." Brad said.

"I have, but… Where?" Michael asked, looking away thoughtfully.

"Alright, stop. We can't waste any more time. We need to go and follow Ashton now." Rocky said.

Everyone started to get ready to go and as Calum was about to, Rydel grabbed him by the arm "Calum, he's remembering." Rydel said, being very scared about that.

Calum sighed and looked over at Michael who was looking back over at him and Rydel with a suspicious/death glare. "Yeah, I know. And I think he knows we know something he doesn't." Calum said.

"Well, I think he's about to find out that 'something' and he can't find out now. Not whilst we're in the middle of this 'cause if he finds out whilst we're doing this job, everything will instantly go downhill and everything we've done will have, and will always, been for nothing."

Calum didn't say anything as he knew Rydel was right – but it was too late to do anything now as the plan to stop and kill Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey had started as soon as Ashton left.

 **Year: 2015  
Date: March 29th  
Location: HQ, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Harvey was looking outside the window of HQ into the desert when he seen someone walking in the distance with something in their hand. The person looked familiar to him. He squinted, getting closer to the window, to see if he could see better. "No…" He said.

He ran out of HQ to go down to the main entrance.

He got down to the main entrance and walked out into the desert with two guards where came face to face with none other than Ashton who looked like he'd been thrown around a little with all the cuts, grazes and bruises he had.

The guards went to go grab him.

"No." Ashton said, putting his hand out to stop them, as if to say he wasn't going to do anything.

The guards stopped where Ashton threw something at Harvey's feet. He picked it up and seen it was the tablet they were using to track him and the other four boys on. He switched it on and seen only Ashton's tracker flashing – which meant that the others were dead.

"So, are you gonna let me in now to stay seen as though you promised whoever survived would?" Ashton asked, in a pissed/upset tone as he looked like he was on the verge of breaking down.

 **Location: Cedar City, Utah**

Riker and Ellington had found their way out of the forest finally after they were abandoned, they were still annoyed about it slightly as they had no idea where they were going and could have got lost. But now they were back where Riker thinks they had abandoned the car.

"If I ever see them again, I swear to god." Riker said.

"Yeah, I know. But there's no need to worry about it, I'm sure they had a good reason as to why they left us behind."

"They didn't give us one! That blonde guy – Ross was it? – just told us to go over and look at something and then the next thing I know they're all gone!"

Ellington didn't say another word as Riker was clearly pissed.

Riker looked down the road they were walking along when he seen his car – the patrol from the base obviously never took it or touched it. "Finally, we can go home." Riker said, going ahead without Ellington who had to walk fast to catch up to him.

They got to the car and got in it as Riker had left it unlocked when they ditched it. He went to turn the engine on when he seen that the keys weren't there, which was weird because he was almost certain he never took the keys with him.

He searched around in his pockets just in case he did but he couldn't find them "Have you got the keys?" Riker asked.

Ellington shook his head "No." He said, but he decided to check his pockets just in case.

That was when both sides of the windows smashed and two guns came through, being aimed at their heads by patrol from the base. "Riker…" Ellington said.

"What?" Riker asked, snapping slightly.

"I think I might know who has your car keys…"

"You're kidding me, who?" Riker asked, sarcastically.

 ** _Next:_** _A Nasty Surprise_

* * *

 **There are 21 chapters left until the end.**

 **Soz for the shortness, I promise they get longer!**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Joe at the beginning?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the voices Michael was hearing from the future?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them being caught by patrol? What do you think will happen to them?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	19. A Nasty Surprise

**The fact I'm updating this the night before my first 5 Seconds of Summer concert.**

 **I swear to god if this, The Beginning of the End, The Weight of Us or The Last Judgement come into my mind whilst I'm in the presence of 5SOS. bYE.**

 **Could be worse though, I could meet them & have it come into my mind.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 19  
** _A Nasty Surprise_ **  
**

 **Location: HQ, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Ashton sat in Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's office where the three of them were getting ready to question him as they were unable to believe and understand that he was the one to survive out of Ross, Rocky, Brad and Luke. They thought he would have been the first to go, not the last.

Priscilla paced back and forth behind his chair, trying to come up with something to ask him but she wasn't sure where to start – and neither were Harvey and Maxwell.

"Are you going to continue pacing? It's causing a draft and quite frankly, I've had enough of the wind and outdoors these last few days." Ashton said.

Priscilla stopped and looked down at him with her arms folded "How are you the one to survive out of the other five? I thought you would've been the first to go."

Ashton let out a small laugh "Where would you like me to start? It's a long story."

"From when we put you at your starting points."

Ashton leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head "Well, you three better get yourselves comfy 'cause you could be here for quite some time."

 **Location: Security Unit, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

A guard walked up and down the hallway – with a couple of employees walking by too who looked sort of scared as they passed him.

Once the guard has his back turned to a door, Joe came through it and snuck up behind him, grabbing the guard by the neck with one arm and putting his hand on his other arm over his mouth which had a bit of cloth in with chloroform on. It took a few seconds and the guard was knocked out on the floor.

Every employee that was on the hallway that witnessed that, stared at Joe in some sort of horror or shock.

"Listen to me, do not stay here. In the next half an hour or less or more, it is not going to be safe for you. Go to the basement and hide there – tell every employee and friend that you know and do not come out until I come for you. But make sure you don't tell the guards. Go!"

Everyone obeyed him and immediately dropped everything they were doing and went to the basement, having a fair idea of what was about to happen.

After everyone scarpered, Joe found his way into the CCTV room where there was someone monitoring the cameras "Do you like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey?" Joe asked.

"No – who in their right mind does apart from the guards? Even then I'm only sure they only like them so they don't get killed."

"Great. Got to the basement, it's not safe up here in the base anymore."

The employee got up and ran out of the room to go. Once he was gone Joe shut the door and looked over all the cameras before pulling out a knife out his back pocket. He went over to the wires that were in the wall – which was what made all the cameras work – and he cut every single one until all the cameras had gone off and stopped working, and the only way that the cameras would come back on was if the wires were fixed.

And that wasn't exactly going to happen any time soon was it?

"So basically – I'll be honest here – we did all find each other with the intention to come up with a plan to kill you all off, but that didn't work as there were a couple of issues." Ashton said, beginning his story to Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey.

There were two guards on either side of the entrance to the hospital unit.

Ross and Brad were both hidden round the corner, not knowing what to do without being seen. They both looked at each other, waiting for something to happen, when Ross suddenly pushed Brad out into the hallway in the guard's sight. They came towards Brad with the guns to shoot him but he kicked one of the guns out of their hand and punched him in the face where Ross came out and tackled the second guard.

They got the guns from the guards and shot them both dead before going into the hospital unit to tell everyone to get to safety in the basement.

"We only mentioned the plan – we didn't get chance to actually come up with a way to put it into action." Ashton said.

"And why's that?" Maxwell asked.

"Because everyone was unsettled after what you said about Luke and what we figured out about Brad. They were on edge, always watching them both because they were afraid that Luke would snap and turned against us at any minute or that Brad had something planned to kill us. After all, you did pretty much give him the perfect opportunity to do so."

Ashley and Landon were searching around the base for Ryan, Bailey and Renzo. They checked the jail cells for Renzo but he wasn't there which meant that he either got our or, worse, he's dead.

They were at the door of the canteen and they looked in, seeing the three of them sat at a table together eating – they were mainly making Renzo eat as he hadn't had anything for days with him being locked in the cells. Landon opened up the door and waved frantically, getting Ryan's attention who pointed at the door for the other two to look. The three looked where Ashley motioned for them to come to her and Landon.

"So obviously there was tension that everyone was getting a little bit sick of, but then tension grew to fighting." Ashton said.

"Physically fighting or arguments?" Maxwell asked.

"Both. Starting with Brad and Rocky because you know how much of a leader Rocky is and how he wants to keep us all safe. Yeah, that only lasted five minutes in that forest and even shorter after what he did next."

Rocky and Rydel were in the security unit – but in the part where the guards usually always were. Rydel was crawling along the floor and setting something up underneath a seat, and Rocky was putting something behind a cabinet.

"Done it?" Rocky asked, as Rydel got up from the floor.

Rydel nodded "Yeah." She said, stepping out of the way to leave the room which revealed a bomb underneath the chair and one being behind the cabinet.

"The tension between Brad and Rocky started to grow and it got to the point where Rocky lost his temper and hit Brad where they stared fighting and myself and Calum tried to stop it. We got Rocky off Brad and told him he was out of order and to calm down and that if Brad was going to kill us he'd have done it by now because he's had so many chances to. Of course, not everyone seen it in that way. Which was why it was no surprise that Ross took Rocky's side – I thought he'd have took Brad's but he snapped at him in the Hangar, hit him and threatened to shoot him because of him being 'evil'." Ashton explained.

Harvey and Maxwell glanced at each other whilst Priscilla stood in front of Ashton looking down at him as she was really intrigued with this story. "And obviously I'm taking it you and Luke took Brad's side." Harvey said.

"Actually no. Well, yeah. I took Brad's side – Luke was kinda neutral about it 'cause he didn't want us all to be fighting and turning against each other 'cause that would be letting you three win."

Michael and Luke were in HQ –being very, very careful as they snuck around as, like Rocky and Rydel, they were setting up bombs to detonate and blow up HQ if all else failed at getting rid of Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey.

There was a boiler in a room and Luke had finished putting one on the bottom of it so that HQ had a bigger chance of blowing up. He left the room and ran down the hallway to get to Michael but he came to Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's room and stopped abruptly 'cause there was a window on their door. He got on his knees and crawled across the floor until he was on the other side before getting back up and running.

"Unfortunately Luke's reasoning didn't work. Rocky was that on edge about Brad that he felt the only way to feel safe and not be on edge was to get rid of him and I wasn't going to let that happen, and neither was Luke. And unlike Ross, Brad knows when Rocky is going to do something and he knew he had his heart set on that so he turned around and he ran to get away from him as fast as he could. I've never seen him run so fast in my life."

"Where did he run to?" Maxwell asked.

"We were in the middle of a forest, there wasn't anywhere he could really run to. But anyway, Rocky chased him and we all followed to try and stop Rocky. Brad kept running but he came to a dead end which was at the edge of a cliff and he couldn't really jump down there without being killed. Eventually we all caught up and before I could grab Rocky he launched at Brad and grabbed hold of him by the scruff of his shirt and threatened to throw him over. Brad begged him not to and that he could tie him up or handcuff him if it made him feel safe – but no. He made it seem as though he was going to spare Brad's life but he never. He pushed him as hard as he could and Brad went off the edge of the cliff and hit the floor. Calum ran to the edge to look down and see if he was okay but he wasn't, he died as soon as he hit the floor," Ashton said, looking and becoming upset "Calum turned around and punched Rocky – he was really angry with him. He continued to hit Rocky for killing Brad—"

"Wait, why was he hitting him and not you? He's your son, I would imagine you'd be more livid than some boy from the future or anybody else that was there." Priscilla said.

"I'm getting to that part if you stop interrupting me – but Calum is Brad's son—well, was—in the future. Rocky had enough of Calum doing that and thought that because Calum's, Brad's future son, he's obviously going to be like him in some ways more than one, so you can probably guess what he did next."

"He threw him over the edge of the cliff too?" Harvey asked.

Ashton shook his head "No he shot him dead which made Michael hate Rocky 'cause Calum was his best-friend – and technically his nephew. Michael went for Rocky but Luke stopped him before he could. Later that night we made a fire to settle down for the night and we were all quite hungry so me and Michael went and caught a rabbit to eat seen as though it was probably the most edible thing in the entire forest. For some reason everyone let me cook it. Which was a mistake."

"Why?" Priscilla asked.

"'Cause whilst I was catching the rabbit with Michael, I found some aconite and rubbed it all over Rocky's food. I gave the food to him, he ate it, it poisoned him and he died right there and then." Ashton said, looking a little bit proud of himself.

Harvey's mouth dropped open a little 'cause that was a very dirty and sneaky way of killing Rocky. "Did everyone find out it was you that poisoned him?" Priscilla asked.

Ashton shook his head "Nope. And that caused more fights."

Dan and Phil were in the science department sneaking around until they got to Dan's lab. Dan looked through where he seen Nate and he got his attention, which made Nate shocked and relieved to see him as he thought Dan was dead. Dan motioned for him to come out of the room.

"Ross kept on accusing either me, Michael or Luke for killing him for killing Brad and Calum. It took him a short while but he had himself one hundred and ten per cent convinced it was Michael 'cause he freaked out more than what me and Luke did when Brad died. Ross took Michael by surprise and stabbed him in the heart, Rydel freaked out and ran at Ross to stop him but he turned round and stabbed her in the throat out of a mental spur. After that it was clear none of us were friends anymore and that none of us could be trusted – we were all going to whind up killing each other in the end. The next person to go was Samara."

"Really? Did Ross kill her?" Maxwell asked.

Ashton shook his head "No, Joe did. Before it all kicked off, Samara knew something about him that nobody else did – I still don't know what it was, Joe didn't even know himself and it was stressing him out. They kept arguing over it because she wouldn't tell him. After a while I think Joe figured out what it was that she knew and he panicked 'cause he she told everyone that was there at the moment, with the way everyone was acting killing each other, he would for sure be the next person to go. So he had to get rid of her didn't he? He couldn't risk letting her tell everyone his little secret. He told Ross that she was the one who killed Rocky 'cause he watched her fiddling with his food before I gave him it and Ross told him he was sick of dealing with her and her shenanigans and told Joe to dispose of her. I don't know what he did. He took her off and all I heard was about two gunshots so I'm assuming he shot her dead. But unfortunately for Joe, Phil and Caspar knew he was lying. Caspar being Joe's best friend, he wouldn't say anything, but Phil did. He stepped up and told everyone he was with Samara the entire time and she never once went near anyone's food and everyone knows how much of a trustworthy person Phil is. He's never lied or done any wrong to us. At least to me he hasn't. Ross had only known him for a few days as he never got to meet him before you guys wiped his memory and sent him home. Joe asked Caspar to stand up for him but he wouldn't, he stayed silent and didn't weigh in on the matter – he just walked away. Joe kept on insisting Samara did kill Rocky but Phil kept arguing back to the point where he snapped and lunged at Joe who then panicked and shot Phil with the gun he killed Samara with. Phil bled to death because we had nothing to help with a gunshot wound. By this point Joe had completely lost his mind and was aiming the gun at every single one of us apart from Caspar who was nowhere to be seen. Nobody could really predict what Joe was going to do next, we didn't know if he was going to kill us or what. Which was why Caspar came up behind him with a knife and stabbed him, making sure he died so he wasn't a threat to us all or himself – which was for the better."

Caspar was in the technician unit, rounding everyone up and making sure they got to the basement for safety.

"I felt guilty 'cause of my actions, it started off a chain reaction which caused everyone's death. They all wouldn't have died if I didn't kill Rocky. So I had to come clean. I told Ross and he flipped and he tried to kill me. Hence why I'm all bruised – Luke let him hit me and beat me up a little 'cause I deserved it but the moment he drew the knife to kill me Luke drew the line and pounced on him. They started fighting on the floor and Ross kept shouting at him, telling him that I deserved to die for killing Rocky when I had no reason to. Well, you kill my son, that's a good enough reason to kill you. Come on, you all have children. If someone killed one of them you'd want to kill that person right?" Ashton asked, and the three of them nodded in some sort of agreement.

"And that was me. I just wanted to do it on the sly so it would cause less trouble and chaos but it didn't work. All I wanted to do was kill Rocky, I didn't mean for any of what followed to happen," Ashton said, genuinely looking guilty and bad for it all happening which Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey fell for.

"When Ross and Luke were fighting, I tried to come between them to stop it 'cause it wasn't necessary. I heard Luke and Ross cry out in pain a few times – Caspar stood and watched 'cause he didn't want to make a wrong move and get himself or someone else hurt. Eventually the fighting stopped and Luke got up off the floor. Ross never. Somehow Luke managed to get the knife off him and kill him with it – stabbing him anywhere and everywhere."

"So, you, Luke and Caspar lived? Why aren't they here if you three never had anything to right about?" Maxwell asked.

"'Cause before Luke got the knife off Ross, he stabbed Luke which was why he cried out in pain. I couldn't help him, neither could Caspar. All I could do was hold him until he died… And now I'm on my own with nobody at all."

"Where'd Caspar go?"

"I told him to run. I didn't want to kill him or endanger him by bringing him back here. I don't know where he went."

"Right, okay, that's fine… How did you get the tablet back?" Harvey asked.

"Ashley got it from here and her and Landon came to find us to try and help us. They found me, I told them what happened and that I was going back. Ashley gave me the tablet. We started making our way back but that patrol you sent out for us found us and Ashley and Landon were too slow for them and they caught and killed them. I stole one of the Wranglers they came in and drove like hell to get here. It ran out of petrol though 'cause of the speed I was going at so I had to walk for about an hour or so before I got here. So yeah… That's the story of why I'm the only one here."

"Wow…" Priscilla said, amazed.

There was a silence before the door opened and guard came in "Excuse me, sorry to interrupt. There's something going on downstairs."

"What do you mean?"

"All the cameras have stopped working and employees are disappearing. I think they may have ran, fearing for their lives."

"What? Maxwell, stay here and watch Ashton, we'll be back soon." Harvey said, leaving the room with Priscilla and leaving Ashton and Maxwell alone.

The pair both stayed in silence before Ashton started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Maxwell asked.

"You three really are stupid aren't you?" Ashton asked, making him confused "you never pay attention to the smallest details do you?"

"What? What details?" Maxwell asked, confused.

"How much patrol did you send out looking for us all? Tell me, how many of them came back?" He asked, making Maxwell silent as he thought "secondly, since when did we get or have the chance to bring bandages with us for wounds?" Ashton asked, pointing to his arm "thirdly, do you honestly think Ross could beat me up and make me look like this? Last time he tried to punch him I almost broke his arm and nearly made him cry like a girl. Fourthly, do you know what a wrist-epoch looks like? And lastly… Don't I look older to you? Possibly almost a year older. Also… don't you find it a bit weird how I've come back, the CCTV's stopped working and all the employees are 'disappearing'?"

Maxwell stayed silent as he processed all that through his mind and it finally clicked to him.

"How is it that sixteen to twenty-four year olds – twenty-eight if you count Phil's age – are smarter than you, Priscilla and Harvey?"

Maxwell drew out his gun to fire at Ashton but he stood up and flung the chair he was sat in at him so that he fell to the floor, letting go of the gun. Ashton took the gun from the floor "Thanks. I won't hurt you anymore than you are, you're going to get a nasty surprise soon anyway." He said, going to leave the room.

"Yeah, and so are you."

Ashton turned around and shot him in leg "Good luck with that one." He said, before running out of the room to go find the others.

 ** _Next:_** _Show No Mercy_

* * *

 **There are 20 chapters left until the final chapter.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thought on the story he told Priscilla, Maxwell & Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them setting up the bombs?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	20. Show No Mercy

**And it's the day after my first 5SOS concert.**

 **The day after seeing Luke, Ashton, Michael and Calum in the flesh and being in their presence.**

 **It was beautiful and so good!**

 **ASHTON WAVED/NOTICED ME AND I NEARLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR DEAD. I DIDN'T EVEN EXPECT HIM TO. I JUST WAVED AS HE WAS LOOKING IN MY GENERAL DIRECTION AND SUDDENLY HE WAVED BACK. I NEARLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR DEAD BUT I WAS SO HAPPY.**

 **I'd go into more detail but I'm too tired and done with life right now - Maybe in the next chapter.**

 **So...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 20  
** _Show No Mercy_ **  
**

Riker and Ellington had been brought back to the base and were thrown into a cell in the jail cells, both landing on the floor harshly. Ellington groaned, staying on the floor whereas Riker got up almost straight away. "Oh, we're gonna die." Ellington said.

"No we're not. HELP! Please! Somebody help us!" Riker called, rattling the gates "please! Somebody, anybody help!"

Ross and Brad were in the hospital unit, getting everyone out so they would go to the basement for safety. They were in one room where someone was getting out and as they were, Caspar came into the room "Is everyone out of here? 'Cause I managed to get everyone out of the technician unit." Caspar asked.

Ross nodded "Yeah."

"What should I do next?"

"The place should be pretty much empty now. All that's life is to find Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey and deal with them. Just go find Rocky or something."

"Alright." Caspar said, turning round and leaving the room.

Mariah was walking down a hallway, being completely oblivious as to what was happening around the base at the moment, when Bailey came running towards her. "Mariah, right?" Bailey asked.

"Yeah, what do you want?" She asked.

"It's Renzo. I can't find him."

"And?" Mariah asked, not seeing how this had any relevance to her or how it would affect her in anyway.

"And? What if he's escaped?! He could do anything stupid! He's Italian for crying out loud!"

"Why should I care if he's escaped?"

"'Cause he could be going to find Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and Brad like Ashley and Landon have with Mia and Courtney!" Bailey exclaimed.

Mariah went to go say something but stopped, becoming confused "Courtney? I killed her…"

"Ooo… Shit… Forgot I wasn't supposed to mention that. Damn it, I screw every single plan up." Bailey said, looking completely done with himself as well as annoyed. The plan was going so well too.

"Is she alive?" Mariah asked, becoming curious.

"Yeah, your gun never had a bullet in it. The most it did was burn the side of her head."

Mariah stood there, being baffled and shocked as she could have sworn Courtney was dead.

Bailey sighed, looking up at the ceiling "Oh, would you look at that. I found him."

Mariah furrowed her brow and looked up where Renzo smiled down at her, being on the ceiling by holding onto a light, and dropped down, punching her straight in the face and knocking her out. "You know, it's wrong for a boy to hit a girl." Bailey said.

"Not when she's a bitch!" Renzo protested.

"Yeah, but still… It's… I couldn't do it. Even if she'd killed a thousand people and deserved to die."

Renzo shook his head "Come on." He said, running off.

Priscilla and Harvey got to the CCTV room to find nobody was there and all the cameras were off. "I don't understand why they would suddenly go off and stop working. Or why people would suddenly disappear." Priscilla said.

They both looked around the room when Harvey looked and seen the wires that connected the cameras to the monitors and to record had been cut. He knelt down and looked at them "I'm starting to sense this was done on purpose."

Priscilla looked "Well who would do such a thing?"

Harvey shrugged "I don't know. Nobody's around anymore that has suspicious behaviour that could have done it. I know Ashton was once one of those people but he's been with us since he got back so it obviously wasn't him."

Priscilla nodded when something occurred to her "Of course."

"What?"

"Ashton's been with us since he got back. So that means we've been distracted from everyone and everything else going on in the base." She said, where it finally clicked to her and Harvey that the story Ashton told was fake, everyone was still alive and they'd come back to get rid of them two and Maxwell once and for all.

"Now what? We don't know where they are." Priscilla said, even though she had a rough idea as to where they could be.

"We find them. This is it. I'm not capturing or holding them hostage – we find them, we kill them. Show no mercy. Don't even give any of them a chance to speak and I swear when I get my hands on Ashton… Oohhhh, he's gonna regret the day he was born." Harvey said, storming out of the room.

"Yeah, well, if you wanna do whatever you wanna do to Ashton you're gonna have to get through me first." Luke said.

Harvey turned round in the hallway, coming face to face with Luke who punched him straight in the face. He proceeded to kick and hit him until he fell to the floor "Good luck with that one."

Harvey suddenly jumped up from the floor and rugby tackled Luke to the floor, punching him in the face but Michael came over and smacked Harvey in the face with his gun, making Harvey fall off Luke and onto the floor.

Michael quickly helped Luke up off the floor.

"Come on, we need to find Ashton." Luke said, as they ran off.

Samara wondered around, trying to find one of the others as she was on her own and scared in case she ran into a guard or one of Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah, Abasi or Isaac as she didn't have a lot to defend herself with.

That was when a guard came out of nowhere and grabbed hold of her from behind, making her scream. She kicked the guard as best as she could and hit him with her fists as he had restrained her arms until he let go of her. She turned around but got punched straight in the face which took her off guard and the guard then kicked Samara so he ended up on the floor.

She landed face first and turned around, looking up to see the guard with a knife in his hand. He lifted it up, ready to stab her and she got ready to try and stop him and knock him down somehow when suddenly the guard was rugby tackled to the floor.

She turned to see Dan had done it – she looked in front of her where Joe and Phil were.

Dan got kicked and punched but he kicked and punched the guard back in return, grabbing his wrist with the knife in his hand and pinning it to the floor before taking it from him. Dan got up from the floor and held the knife at him "I'll give you five seconds to run for your life and if you haven't I'll kill you. 1… 2…" as he started counting, the guard got up from the floor and ran.

"You should've killed him." Joe said.

"Why?" Dan asked.

"He's obviously on Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey's side if he's just tried to kill Samara, and now that you've let him go he's probably going to run to them and tell them we're here."

"Well obviously they already know we're here if he's just tried to kill her," He said, before going over and helping Samara off the floor "are you alright?"

She nodded "Any longer and I'd have been dead." She said, letting out a small laugh.

"Good thing we showed up when we did then."

"GUYS!" A voice shouted from behind.

They turned and seen Ashton coming towards them.

"Maxwell knows we're all back! He's gonna tell Priscilla, Harvey and all the guards – he's bound to. But I shot him in the leg so he couldn't move to buy us more time." Ashton said.

"Fair enough." Dan said.

"Where are you all heading now?"

"We were gonna go look for everyone else." Joe said.

"Oh, well… You do that. I'm gonna go find Luke. Just try and find everyone. If you see Priscilla or Harvey anywhere and they see you, do your best to fight them. All four of you—five if you find Caspar along the way." Ashton said.

They all nodded before going off the opposite direction to one another

 ** _Next:_** _Down the Drain_

* * *

 **So... This is the last chapter with it being sort of calm bc as of the next chapter... Shit is about to get real. And I mean proper real. So, enjoy the story, hold onto your hats, read along carefully for plot twists and more importantly... grab the tissues cos there's some heart tugging moments coming up ;)**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **There are 19 chapters left until the end.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE!**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mariah?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	21. Down the Drain

**I feel like this story is going to go by really, really, really fast now. I've got that feeling I've had every other time a story of mines gotten to this point.**

 **So, enjoy whilst it lasts!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 21  
** _Down the Drain_ **  
**

Nate was in the vaults where the warheads were kept with Alex and Kyle – haven been given a weapon each to defend themselves with by Dan after he had found Nate in the science department. It didn't sound or seem like anybody was down in the vaults – they hoped there wasn't anyway. And they certainly hoped there were no warheads set to detonate.

They made sure the door was shut properly and locked behind them upstairs in the Explosives Room which would lead them to the vaults, not wanting anybody to follow them in. "You go down there, Kyle go straight on and I'll go this way." Nate said, directing Alex and Kyle.

The reason they were down here was to make sure that none of the warheads had been set to detonate by Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey whilst Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton were gone – and if they have been, it's up to the three of them to disarm them.

Before they were sent down here, Kyle quickly taught Nate and Alex how to given that he works in the Armoury and has to deal – or will have to – on a daily basis.

Calum was by himself because everyone had their pair for this job but he ended up on his own for some reason. He was wondering the hallways near the entrance when he seen a random person. "Hey! You! What are you doing up here? You should go and run somewhere! It's not safe! Go hide!" Calum said.

"He's not wrong." A voice said from behind.

Calum froze, recognising the voice "Run. Now. Hide."

The person looked at Calum and the person behind him before turning round and running for their life.

Calum spun round and tried to punch the voice behind him in the face but missed 'cause he moved quickly – it was Isaac. Isaac tried to hit Calum, but he ducked and managed to kick Isaac in the stomach as he went down, and once Isaac lurched over Calum kneed him in the face before taking out his gun. He held him by the back of his top, aiming the gun to his head "You do not know how much pleasure I'm going to take in doing this." Calum said.

He went to pull the hammer back and fire the gun, but he suddenly got an unbearable pain in his stomach "Ah…" Calum groaned, painfully.

Isaac hadn't even done anything to him so he couldn't understand why he was getting this pain.

Due to this pain, Calum's grip loosened on Isaac so he took that as his chance to push Calum away from him, and it made him fall to the floor. "Aw, what's wrong? Didn't you have the heart to do it?"

"No, I—ahhh…" Calum shouted, suddenly becoming full of pain and his vision started going from clear to a blur constantly.

He got up from the floor stumbling but Isaac kicked his hand that he was holding his gun with and took it from him after it fell onto the floor. Isaac aimed the gun at him, ready to fire. Calum lunged for Isaac to grab the gun off him as he pulled the hammer, but he didn't have enough strength – he didn't know what was going on or what was happening to him.

Isaac put his finger on the trigger, going to pull it, when he got hit round the head by the butt of a gun by Rydel. He fell to the floor and Rydel seen Calum about to collapse onto the floor "Calum! What's wrong?" She asked, in concern, running to him with Rocky.

Rocky caught him before he hit the floor.

Calum shook his head "I-I don't k-know…. There's an u-unbearable p-p-pain running throughout my b-body… a-and my visions going funny… R-R-Rydel… Nothing's… I'm not… Nobody's hurt me… I don't understand."

Rocky and Rydel both tried to think quickly as to what it could be and Rydel's eyes widened when something hit her "Oh, no…"

"What?" Rocky asked.

"He's phasing out of existence."

"How do you know?" Rocky asked.

"I know who he is but I can't remember my childhood with him – and it was pretty memorable."

"How would you know if you can't remember?"

"Rocky! Not the time!" Rydel scolded "we need Ross and Brad! NOW! Pick him up!" She said, panicking and getting up off the floor.

Rocky picked up Calum who was still conscious.

Michael and Luke were wondering around, being on the search for Ashton as well as looking for Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey or any of the guards that may be in their way they needed to get rid of. As they came onto a hallway, Luke looked left and right before deciding to go left. He and Michael proceeded to go down that way when:

"Luke!"

Luke turned round and seen Ashton coming the opposite way. He smiled and made his way towards him with Michael following closely behind. "Ash, you're alright!" Luke said.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Ashton asked, a little confused as they were still walking towards each other.

"I don't know, I heard Har—WATCH OUT!" Luke shouted.

Before Ashton could react and turn round to whatever Luke was seeing, he felt two arms grab hold of him tightly so he couldn't move – it was Harvey. Michael went forward to lunge and help out but someone grabbed him from behind too.

Luke turned round, seeing Abasi having hold of Michael. He kept looking between them both. "What are you both doing? Let them go." Luke said.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Harvey asked, fiddling with the wrist-epoch Ashton was wearing.

"What have you just done to that?" Ashton asked, but Harvey didn't respond.

Abasi also fiddled with Michael's wrist-epoch and didn't say what he had done to it either.

Ross and Brad were hanging round the hospital unit and were coming to a stairwell.

"Ross! Brad!" Rydel called.

The two boys turned round and seen Rydel coming towards them with Rocky behind her carrying Calum. "What's wrong? Is he hurt?" Ross asked.

"No, he's starting to disappear out of existence! We have to do something!"

Ross rolled his eyes as he knew what that 'something' was "As bad as this is going to sound we can't exactly _do_ that 'something' right now can we?"

Rydel shook her head "Yeah, I know, but there is something else. Remember what we did first to make Brad pregnant? We can do that easily and more quickly."

As Rydel said this, nobody noticed Mariah down the hallway behind Ross and Brad hidden behind the wall, setting up a grenade before throwing it so it rolled down the hallway towards them.

"How long exactly is that going to take because we don't exactly have all the time in the world right now?" Ross asked.

"Wait, what's that on the floor?" Brad asked, looking down as he noticed something near to him and Ross.

Everyone looked down at it.

"Grenade!" Ross shouted.

Brad kicked it away from them but it exploded as it rolled away from them and it sent them all flying onto the floor harshly – or if you're Ross, down the stairwell. And given it was closer to him and Brad, it was going to do the most damage to them two.

Rocky groaned as he knelt on the floor, having Calum laid next to him completely out of it. Rydel was a little way away from him but she was waking up, and Brad was laid on the floor a little further down the hallway knocked out – obviously 'cause he was the closest to the grenade as well as Ross – and his head was bleeding.

"Rydel, check on Brad." Rocky said, getting up from the floor because Ross wasn't there. The stairwell was the only place he could have ended up and he looked down it to see him at the bottom out cold "Oh, no…"

"Rocky! Brad won't wake up!"

Rocky ran his hands through his hair, becoming stressed. Brad wasn't waking up and Ross is now possibly on the brink of death after being thrown down the stairs like that – and where the hell were Luke and Ashton? 'Cause this plan of theirs was now slowly starting to fall apart spectacularly.

"Where is everyone?" Harvey asked.

"Why should I tell you?" Luke asked.

Harvey drew out a knife from his pocket and held it at Ashton's throat "I'll kill him."

Luke turned and seen Abasi still had hold of Michael. He looked back over to Harvey who was still pointing the knife at Ashton. "They're here but I don't know where." Luke said.

"Not exactly the answer I was looking for."

"Well, unfortunately it's the only answer I can give you. Now let him go. Both of them." Luke said, still looking at Harvey.

Abasi let go of Michael "Don't make a single move," Abasi said quietly to him before walking up behind Luke "don't worry, he's not going to kill Ashton, he's safe." He said, as he discretely did something to Luke's wrist-epoch "for now."

Luke gave Abasi a small glare and Harvey let Ashton go "See," Abasi said, walking backwards towards Michael "now, I hope you both don't mind but I'm gonna go on a little trip with Michael around time."

"Excuse me?" Michael asked.

"Don't worry, I'll bring him back safe."

"Um, no, you'll leave him here." Luke said.

Abasi rolled his eyes as he typed stuff in on his wrist-epoch "Tough. I too know how to link up wrist-epoch's just like Courtney. Where I go, he goes now. And also… Did she also tell you there's a setting on them that makes you disappear into the future or past but without the wrist-epoch? So… You're pretty much trapped wherever you are. Sometimes you can even set a timer for when you want it to go off."

Luke furrowed his brow in confusement as to why he was telling him that but remembered he and Ashton were both wearing a wrist-epoch – Abasi was stood behind Luke and Harvey was fiddling with Ashton's.

He turned to Ashton "Take it off!" Luke raised his voice.

But it was too late.

As Ashton went to do so, Ashton disappeared and the wrist-epoch he was wearing fell to the floor where he once stood.

"No, Ashton!" Luke shouted, running towards where he was but stopped and faced Abasi who waved at him.

"Bye!" He said, waving as he disappeared – taking Michael with him.

As Luke turned and lunged at Harvey to kill him, Luke soon disappeared too without his wrist-epoch because of Abasi tampering with his.

Great.

Just brilliant.

Ross is quite possibly at deaths door.

Brad won't wake up.

Now Luke and Ashton were trapped anywhere in time with no way back.

And Rocky was the only one still almost alright.

Yup.

This plan had definitely gone down the drain.

 ** _Next:_** _A Race_

* * *

 ***slow claps for BRRAL*. Well, the plan going well lasted long didn't it? WHOOP.**

 **There are now 18 chapters left until the final chapter.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Isaac?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Abasi?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Do you think Brad will wake up?_**

 ** _Do you think Ross is alright?_**

 ** _Where do you think Luke and Ashton have ended up?_**

 ** _Do you think they'll get back?_**

 ** _Do you think they'll get the plan back on track & save everyone?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	22. A Race

**This stORY is going bY way to fAST now. Well, I feel like it is. I DON'T WANT IT TO END, but it's gonna have to. It can't go on forever.**

 **All good things must come to an end. Not that I'm saying this is good, but you get my point haha.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 22  
** _A Race_ **  
**

 **Year: Unknown  
** **Date: Unknown  
** **Location: Unknown**

In a flash of blue light, Ashton landed on the floor of wherever he had been sent by Harvey.

He looked up, expecting to not have a single clue as to where he was, but seen he was in a hallway in the base. The hallway close to the boys dorms. And everything looked fine and like it wasn't the end of the world, there were no fights, no nothing.

He got up off the floor, thinking that maybe he'd been sent into the past – which was a good thing 'cause time travel had sort of been invented then so he could get back and he is in a place he knows well.

Ashton walked down the hallway and decided to go to the boys dorms in the hope to find he knew but as he went to, he spotted someone walking down the hallway. It was… Bailey? So he couldn't be that far in the past. "Bailey!" Ashton called.

Bailey froze in his tracks when he heard a familiar voice shout him from behind. A very familiar voice that he hadn't heard for a long time, and he never thought he would again – on one hand he was scared, but on the other he was happy.

And he knows someone else who might be happy about it too.

He turned around and seen Ashton coming towards him so he slowly walked towards him too "Ashton..?"

"Yeah, it's me, how's it going?" Ashton asked, as they came face to face with one another.

"Great. Well, not really. That's a lie."

"Oh, God, is training with Brad that bad?"

Bailey furrowed his brow in confusion "What? I haven't trained with Brad since I first started here… I've never trained with him since."

Now it was Ashton's turn to be confused. "Wait, I am in the past aren't I? 2014 or 2015?"

"Try 2020." Future!Bailey said.

"I'm… five years in the future?" Ashton asked, and Future!Bailey nodded.

Ashton took in his surroundings a bit more and finally noticed Bailey looked older than he did when he last seen him and everything around him was different in some way. Then something dawned on him, and a smile came to his face.

"Oh my, God, we did it…"

"Did what?" Future!Bailey asked.

"We saved the world from Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey didn't we? Well, that's all to happen yet for me I'm kinda in the middle of it now."

"So you're from the past?" Future!Bailey asked, and Ashton nodded "yeah… I kinda figured you were." He said, looking a little down about that even though he expected it.

"How did we do it? Actually, don't tell me that might affect what happens and the outcome of it," He said, where Future!Bailey sighed and Ashton noticed his saddened look. "What's wrong? Why are you sad?"

"What do you mean?"

"From the moment I've seen you, you look like you've been experiencing too many emotions at once – mainly sad and, I don't know, shocked? Why?" Ashton asked, and Future!Bailey never said a word, he just stayed silent for a short while before saying:

"You're dead."

"What? How? When?" Ashton asked, not really expecting that from him. Maybe something along the lines of how the 2020 version of himself has gone away and been away for a long time and Bailey seen him since then.

Not death.

"Maxwell killed you on the day we saved the world."

"Oh. But it's fine. Luke's set a bomb to go off in HQ and Maxwell's stuck in there 'cause I shot him in the leg. He can't move," Ashton said, reassuringly, where Future!Bailey gave him another saddened/sympathetic look which made Ashton's reassuring face fall "He gets out doesn't he…"

"And you're the first person he comes looking for and wins. Priscilla and Harvey are already dead by that point. After you get killed, Luke kills him and the world is saved. All because you died. Otherwise Maxwell would have still been alive without anybody knowing and god knows what he would've done," Future!Bailey explained "I mean, we all knew the day was gonna come where Luke couldn't protect you from something no matter how hard he tried, and honestly we all thought that day would be when Luke himself died. And that day is today. I'm sorry."

All of a sudden Ashton felt like all the hope he had in time had been taken away "Well… I wasn't expecting this when I came here—actually, I had no choice but to come here. Harvey fiddled with my wrist-epoch and made me come here without it, as you may or may not have noticed."

Future!Bailey furrowed his brow "Wait… That didn't happen—oh my, God it did happen… Oh my—no way…"

"What?"

"Everything that I remember about that day… It's changing. You're changing the past by being here," He continued, where then his eyes widened and lit up as though a light bulb had just gone off "oh my, God, you can help us… Like, right now. The 2020 version of people."

"Who? What? How?" Ashton asked, baffled and confused as he wasn't able to understand how he was changing the past by being here yet he can help the 2020 version of his friends that are still alive and here.

"Luke."

"Luke? What about Luke? What's the matter with him?"

"Let's just a screw kinda went loose after you died… And by kinda I mean that thing fell out and we can't find it to put it back in," Future!Bailey said, making Ashton concerned and dreading what he was about to tell him "after you died… Luke turned evil. He kept it a secret at first but as the years went on from 2015 to now, it started to show in him more and people started to notice until he full on turned again his friends – including me, Ashley, Ryan, Renzo and Landon. Hurting and injuring us all seriously, almost killing… and killing us."

Ashton's face fell and he felt himself become a little broken knowing that, that was what was going to become of Luke after all this time of trying to fight the evil people and stop them from hurting everyone "W-who… Who did he kill?"

"Joe, Caspar and Ross. He killed Joe and Caspar because they found out before anybody else did and Ross because he was trying to stop him from being evil – it worked like a treat." Future!Bailey said, saying the last part sarcastically.

"Where's Brad and Rocky?" Ashton asked.

"Luke locked Rocky in the cells. Nobody can free him unless Luke says."

"Unless Luke says? Luke's not in charge."

Future!Bailey nodded "Yeah he is. After you all killed Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey there was no leaders or anybody in charge of the base and everyone made Brad, Ross, Rocky and Luke in charge slash the leaders – they didn't really get a choice to say if they wanted to or not, everyone just said they were whether they liked it or not."

Well, who'd have saw that coming from the moment they stepped foot in the place, huh?

Ashton shook his head, realising Bailey hadn't answered his question fully "You didn't tell me where Brad is."

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Something happens to him on the day we save the world and I can't tell you what. You have to see it happen to him for yourself."

"He's gonna die isn't he."

Future!Bailey shook his head "Nope. I can assure you now… The only person that dies that day is you. Everyone else lives," He said, letting a small silence fall "do you wanna go see Luke?"

"What?"

"Yeah. 2020 Luke aka evil Luke."

"Why would I want to see him when he's evil?" Ashton asked.

"'Cause maybe you'll change his mind **(a/n: *'Catch Fire' by 5 Seconds of Summer starts playing* #buysoundsgoodfeelsgoodonitunes)** and you might turn him good again."

Ashton got directed up from where he met Bailey up to HQ where Future!Luke would more than likely be. The pair were careful to not be caught by anybody that they knew in case they freaked out and also the guards – even though there wasn't as many as there used to be when Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey were around and in charge and 2015. 2020 seemed a whole better.

And it would be even better if Luke wasn't evil.

Future!Bailey stopped when they got outside the door where Future!Luke was. "Is he in there?" Ashton asked, quietly.

Future!Bailey looked through the window on the door and seen Future!Luke with his back to the door and looking out the window. He nodded "Just walk in."

Ashton breathed deeply before opening the door and going in on his own, leaving Bailey outside. He shut the door and looked at Future!Luke who still had his back to him. "I'm gonna take a wild guess and say it's Landon seen as though you struggle to understand the concept of knocking. I'd say it's Rocky but he's locked up unless one of you helped to break him out with me knowing." Future!Luke said.

Instantly, without even having to look or hold a conversation with him, Ashton knew that tone didn't even sound remotely like the Luke he knew and loved. It sounded like a complete stranger. Ashton breathed deeply again, not really looking forward to this "No, but if I was actually here I'd break him out. After all, that's what friends are for right?" Ashton said.

Future!Luke froze at the sound of the voice that spoke. After getting over the shock of hearing it, thinking that maybe he was hearing things, he turned round slowly and seen Ashton, where he suddenly become pale in the face. He shook his head "N-no… No… You're dead…"

"Apparently so."

He shook his head and rubbed his face, as Future!Luke began to think that he had lost the plot – even though he could be argued he lost it five years ago after Ashton died. Ashton wasn't sure if he should go over to him as he started having some sort of mini break down.

"Am I dreaming?" Future!Luke asked, looking back at him and as Ashton went to speak, he cut him off "I must be. I have to be."

"You're not dreaming, I'm here."

"N-no! You can't be! You can't!" Future!Luke shouted, now running his hands through his hair which made Ashton very concerned for his mental health.

Ashton went over to him in the attempt to calm him down "Luke, calm down."

"NO!" He shouted, flying his hand out and punching Ashton. He fell to the floor, curling up with his hands in his hair rocking back and forth "You're not real, you're not real, you're not real…" Future!Luke kept repeating.

Ashton walked up and knelt next to him, slowly wrapping his arms round him as fell into him beginning to sob. "I'm dead. But… It hasn't happened to me yet. It's probably… hours away from happening. Heck, it might even be minutes. I don't know."

"Wait… You're from the past?"

"From the day we saved the world."

Future!Luke got up, kneeling in front of Ashton so he was facing him "S-so… so… you're real. You are actually here and alive?"

"For now."

Future!Luke suddenly became relieved and very happy, hugging Ashton "I am so happy right now, you have no idea…" He said, feeling like he could cry.

"You know I can't stay."

Future!Luke sighed "I know. Just… let me enjoy the moment."

Ashton stayed silent whilst Luke hugged him "You know, growing up… My Mum always told me not to talk to strangers."

Future!Luke pulled away from the hug and gave him a funny look "I'm not a stranger."

"Yes you are. The Luke I know would never do this to his friends. He'd never make them suffer no matter what happened. Which leads me to ask… What did happen?"

"You died."

"And that's a good enough reason to kill Joe, Caspar and Ross? And then make the rest of them suffer?"

"No. Look, you could have been saved when you died!"

"Then why didn't you?!"

"I tried! They didn't. I tried to save you whilst Ross, Brad and Rocky watched. And they continued to watch whilst you died in my arms. If they'd have helped the chances of you surviving would have been bigger and when I asked Ross to try and save you he wouldn't 'cause you were gone and there was nothing he could have done – you were still in my arms and hadn't been moved at all. But how did he know that? Ross could have done the smallest thing that might have brought you back to life or saved or both but he never."

Ashton stayed silent as he didn't know what to say in response to that – it was a 50/50 reason. But obviously other stuff must have happened between now and then for Luke to turn fully evil and the way he is now. "Still. If it was the other way round, I wouldn't turn against them. I'd be mad at them and wouldn't be able to forgive them but I wouldn't hate them and want to kill them. It's not me. And it certainly isn't you," Ashton said, making Luke silent "and if this is how you turn out to be when I die… then I'll die disappointed and loving you less. 'Cause to be honest… how can I love someone like you?"

And with that, a very long silence filled the room as nobody knew what to say. Future!Luke got up from the floor as well as Ashton. "Don't push everyone you know away over something that happened five years ago. I'm gone. I'm not coming back. Accept it and… get some help." Ashton said.

"How when I nobody to help me? I have no friends or family to…" Future!Luke said.

"No friends? They're trying to stop you from being like this so I'm pretty damn sure they are still your friends if you sit down and let them help. And no family? You've got your parents and brothers back at home, I'm sure they would have been more than happy to help you get over me."

Future!Luke shook his head "No they wouldn't be."

"They would. They're your family, they would do anything for y—"

"They're dead, Ashton. All of them," Future!Luke said, immediately making Ashton quiet and his face fall "and before you ask, no. I didn't kill them. A drunk driver did when they crashed into their car at the beginning of 2015 when you were still alive and before all this end of the world stuff began. So you can imagine what I was – and still are – silently going through back in 2015 right now. My family all dying and me being the only one left, the world being in the brink of ending, and then you dying when everyone saves it – all in the space of two months. TWO MONTHS. I have no one left anymore!" Future!Luke started screaming, through tears "not my parents, not my brothers, not you and not Brad! NOBODY! THEY'RE ALL GONE! And in 2015, which is where you're from, all I have is you and Brad and then when you go back, in a few hours I'm gonna have you both taken away from me."

"Brad's still alive though, I've been told he is."

"Metaphorically he's dead. I still don't see him, he's not around and I can never see him again. Ever."

The pair didn't speak a word to each other for a few seconds.

"By any chance in 2015… Did you get sent to the past or future with no way back? Don't lie to me. 'Cause it's just happened to me and the same things happened to the past you as well." Ashton said.

Future!Luke thought for a moment and shook his head "No… Yes… Well that's new… That didn't happen before…" He said, making Ashton confused and something dawned on him and he looked at Ashton "Oh my, God. You're changing the past. You're changing what happens."

"I'm not there to change it though…"

"No but by being here and telling me all this it is… I'm not joking, I'm not messing with you but now that you've just told me that I feel like the evil inside me is slowly disappearing… Very slowly though…"

"Right…"

Future!Luke smiled, being relieved as he walked closer to Ashton "You can change the future—well, your future—and what happens. More importantly… Save the world."

"Yeah, with the help from everyone else."

Future!Luke shook his head "No, no… Just you. You can stop me from turning out like this but more importantly save the world – on your own without help. Yeah, everyone has their part to play in saving the world but… it's you who does it."

"Well… Now I don't feel a big weight on my shoulders at all." Ashton said, sarcastically.

"It's only if you do exactly what I say when you go back to 2015, alright?" Future!Luke said, and Ashton nodded "don't die. Maxwell's going to escape out of HQ even though you think you've made him immobile – you have to find him before he finds you or anyone and kill him first. He'll be making his way from HQ up to the roof to hide 'cause that's where he kills you. You will find him there and you have to kill him. Make sure he's dead. And even if he has no pulse and you're still unsure or unsettled that he's dead, put about six more bullets in his skull," He said, making Ashton laugh a little and he laughed too "I love you."

"I love you too."

Future!Luke kissed Ashton for a good few seconds, if not a solid minute and a bit. He was cherishing the moment as it had been five years since he last saw him and he knew fine well this wasn't going to happen ever again. "Good luck."

"I can't go back. I have no way of getting there. I disappeared but my wrist-epoch never. It's still in 2015."

"Oh, er… I'm sure Dan will have plenty roaming around in the science department. If not he can just use the Epoch to get you back." He said, making his way out of the room.

"The Epoch? I thought you couldn't use it 'cause it wasn't stabilised."

Future!Luke smiled/grinned at him "Something for you to look forward to in the future."

Ashton walked with Future!Luke through HQ when he got pulled aside by someone. He seen Dan – obviously the future version of him. "I knew this was going to happen and that you'd be here sooner or later. But… I need to talk to you." Future!Dan said.

"How did you know that?" Ashton asked.

"That's for me to know and you to never find out."

"The future seer thing you got Samara to use when she 'kidnapped' Brad?"

"I got curious to know if Luke was gonna turn goo—listen, I need to talk to you about something important 'cause that thing also looks into the past!"

"Alright, what is it?"

 **Year: Unknown  
Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

Luke landed harshly on the floor after a flash of blue light "Ah… Fuck…" He groaned, as he laid face first on the ground.

He opened his eyes and seen he was lying on a hallway that was a complete mess. He got up on his knees and seen it was the base – looking exactly how it did in 2037. Did he get sent there? 'Cause if so decent, 'cause then he can get a wrist-epoch of Rydel, Michael or Calum – depending on if he is in 2037 or before.

Luke got up off the floor, trying to establish what part of the base he was in before going to look around for one of Rydel, Michael or Calum. He looked around and got near to the science department when he seen two people at the end of the hallway, with their backs to him. A boy with black hair (1) and a girl with brownish hair. "Hey! Hey!" Luke called.

The two turned round – the boy with black hair was Michael, but he didn't know who the girl was. The girl and Future!Michael looked shocked to see him, but happy at the same time.

"Dad!" The girl said, as herself and Michael ran up to him.

The girl literally jumped on Luke and hugged him, making him confused and he looked at Future!Michael who looked just as happy as the girl did. "Wait, wait… Where am I?" Luke asked, not hugging the girl back "what year is this?"

The girl pulled away from the hug. "2032." Future!Michael said.

"Oh, okay. Not 2037 then? Fair enough. So are you trying to find out information about me, Ashton, Brad, Ross and Rocky? 'Cause that's what you, Rydel and Calum were doing – or had done – when we met you all in 2037."

Future!Michael was confused "Who's Rydel and Calum?"

Luke found that a bit strange but it soon dawned on him "Ooohh… You mustn't have met them yet. Basically, Rydel is Rocky's daughter and Calum is Ross and Brad's son."

"Ross and Brad? Um… Them three don't have kid." The girl said.

"Really?"

"Trust me, I can assure you they don't." Future!Michael said.

"Oh… Wait… So… You don't remember bringing me, Ashton, Ross, Rocky and Brad to the future – 2037 – to stop Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey and save the world in 2015?" Luke asked.

Future!Michael shook his head "No. Probably because you guys didn't save the world. You all came back from wherever you'd been in the attempt to save it but… it failed. The plan you all came up with went down the drain. Actually, it was going pretty well, you killed Priscilla and Harvey, thought you'd saved everyone but Maxwell was still alive because Da—Ashton thought he'd killed him."

"Oh… So… When I go back to 2015… Everything we've done will have been for nothing and the world will just… be gone?" Luke asked, and Michael nodded "so, you don't know Rydel and Calum 'cause they don't exist and you all aren't putting together a plan to get us all together so we can come up with a plan?" Luke asked.

Future!Michael shook his head "No, sorry."

Luke breathed deeply "Damn, Michael, wait to bring my hopes down on this plan. I actually had so much faith in this plan. So much."

Future!Michael and the girl both looked at each other a little confused and continued to be as Luke stayed silent, trying to come to terms with what was gonna happen when he finds a way back to 2015. "Sorry, who are you? I only know who he is. And you called me 'Dad' which was weird." Luke asked/said, deciding not to dwell on it for now.

"I'm your future daughter." The girl answered.

Really? Three kids. Brad, Michael and now her. Luke seriously needs to watch what the hell he's doing – and Ashton too, he isn't taking the entire blame of this. It takes two to tango.

"When were you born?" Luke asked.

"October 2015."

"Octo—wait, that's not possible. You can't be born that early. More importantly because Michael comes first. Unless… the future changed that…" Luke said, being a little confused as this whole kid thing was no longer making any sense.

"Or maybe because two months before you and Dad left 1959 you… did the deed there. Therefore when you both got back to March 2015, he was already two months pregnant meaning there were only seven to go and seven months later is October." The girl said, where her kinda sarcastic attitude was already reminding Luke of Ashton.

"Well okay then. Wait a minute that means Ash is pregnant now. Does he know it himself?" Luke asked.

"More than likely. He said to me he did anyway." Future!Michael said.

"Then what the hell is he doing?! He should be being more careful than he is! Tell you what, I'm gonna be having words with him when I get back. If he's back from wherever he got sent to."

The girl laughed softly "I got told how protective you were of him." She said, smiling a little.

"Hey, it's not protectiveness, it's called caring."

"There's a difference between protectiveness and caring. And also overprotective." Future!Michael said.

Luke rolled his eyes "What's your name then?"

"Lucy."

"Lucy? Isn't that a little bit close to 'Luke'?" Luke questioned after she gave him the reply "never in my life has the name 'Lucy' appealed to me – no offence, don't kill me – or Ashton. Why the hell did we call you that?" Luke asked.

"You never. Ashton did." Future!Michael said.

"Why?"

"You died before I was born." Lucy said.

"You died the day you guys tried to save the world 'cause you thought Maxwell was dead but he wasn't and he took you by surprise and killed you. After that, he let the warheads off and the world was destroyed." Future!Michael explained.

Luke stayed silent "Where's Brad and Ashton? Technically they should be here if they didn't die that day."

"Ashton died giving birth to Lucy 'cause he obviously had to be cut open but there was nobody there to stitch him up properly 'cause Ross had left with Rocky to be with their Mom during the end of the world – we don't even know if they're both still alive – so… Ashton bled to death which left me to look after her until she was this age."

Luke sighed, turning round as he ran his hands through his hair "So this is what happens, huh? After everything we did and went through. Nothing changes. The world still ends. We shouldn't have even tried."

Future!Michael and Lucy stayed silent as they sort of agreed with him until something occurred to them both. "Wait… No it won't happen." Lucy said.

"Yes it will. This is proof."

Lucy shook her head "No, no, it won't. Do you know why? 'Cause you know stuff now that you didn't back then. And you can use that to change everything that happens."

"I can?" Luke questioned.

Future!Michael nodded "Yeah, totally! Save the world. You can do it! Maybe… Maybe it's the way it's always meant to have been."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone has their own role to play in saving the world, but you're the one who's meant to save it completely. You didn't play your role in doing so in the 2015 we know, but you can go back and do it in your 2015 now that you know what happens."

"Right, wait, what, weight on my shoulders… Not good. Slow down. How do I do it?" Luke asked, whilst trying to process all this as well as this new responsibility.

"Don't die." Lucy said.

"Yeah, I imagine that would help a lot."

"No, find Maxwell and kill him. Make sure he's dead before leaving him." Future!Michael said.

"Oh…"

"He'll be on the roof waiting for you."

"Right okay. Do you have a wrist-epoch for me to get back with?" Luke asked.

Lucy nodded "Yeah, we do. We kept Dad's after he died. Just follow us."

The three walked to where Lucy and Michael kept the wrist-epoch's but as they were, Lucy stopped and turned to Luke. "Also… There's something else."

"What?"

"We got told a story of how you got sent to the future or past without your wrist-epoch – like now, which I'm taking it is now – and so did Ashton. But he got sent to a different version of the future where you guys did save the world – but in that version Ashton dies instead of you and you turn evil. That version of you sends him back to the past with the mission of making sure that Ashton himself doesn't die and that you stay good and don't turn evil in any way." Lucy explained.

"Right… And..?" Luke asked.

"You have to make sure you get back to 2015 before he does. If he gets back before you… You will die and this will happen. If you die, the world ends. If you don't die, the world is saved. The whole world depends on you not dying. You _have_ to get back before he does."

"So… I've… I've gotta race him back to 2015 even though I don't know where he is in time? What if we both get back at the exact same time?" Luke asked.

"Then you better kill Maxwell before Ashton finds him. Let's just leave it there."

 **Year: 2020  
Date: Unknown  
Location: The Epoch Room, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Future!Dan had given Ashton a wrist-epoch and was typing in where he needed to be back in 2015. "Alright, done." Future!Dan said.

"Thanks." Ashton said, stepping away from him. He went to press the transport button when he felt Future!Luke put his hand on his wrist. Ashton looked at him.

"You need to get back to 2015 before I do." Future!Luke said.

"You do?" Ashton asked.

"2015 me. I got sent to a different future with a different outcome and let's just say… You need to get back to 2015 before I do otherwise if you don't… You know what happens."

Ashton nodded "Yeah… I'll do my best and try to."

Future!Luke kissed him one last time and stepped away from him. "Right then. See ya later I guess." Ashton said.

Ashton pressed the transport button and disappeared in a flash of blue light.

And the race was on.

 **Year: 2032  
Date: Unknown  
Location: The Epoch Room, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Luke, Lucy and Future!Michael got to the Epoch room where Lucy got Ashton's wrist-epoch and she gave it to Luke. "Good luck." She said.

"Thanks." Luke put it on and typed in where he needed to be – being very nervous as this was a race he couldn't risk losing. He finally got where he needed to be "I guess… I'll see you in seven months and Michael… I'll see you when I get back to 2015 if Abasi's done taking you on a little trip and hasn't killed you – this is a different version of you by the way, just saying, not to panic you."

"Riiight…" Future!Michael said.

Luke looked at them both "See ya." He pressed the transport button and disappeared in a flash of blue light.

Future!Michael and Lucy watched the space where he had disappeared. "It was nice to see him again." Future!Michael said.

"Yeah… It was nice seeing him for the first time. In my life. Quick question." Lucy said.

"Yeah?"

"Why did he keep calling you 'Michael'?" Lucy asked.

"I-I don't know… Maybe he forgot what it is? Or more than likely… it hasn't happened yet."

 ** _Next:_** _A Trip Around Time_

* * *

 **Do I smell, not one, but maybe two or three plot twists in the next chapter? Yes I do.**

* * *

 **I'M SEEING 5SOS AGAIN TOMORROW. I GET TO SEE THEM IN THE FLESH ONE MORE TIME UNTIL THE NEXT TIME THEY DO A TOUR.**

 **Ples let my Lashton heart be happy tomorrow bc at the one I went to last week my Mashton heart was happy and I didn't even know I had one until that moment when Michael ran and straddled Ashton and Ashton carried him off stage like a child. It was beautiful. It made my non-existent Mashton heart happy that has somehow now came to exist.**

* * *

 **There are 17 chapters left until the end.**

* * *

 **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Future!Bailey?_**

 ** _What do you thinks APPARENTLY going to happen to Brad if he isn't going to die?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Future!Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on normal Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Future!Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Lucy?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton being pregnant?_**

 ** _Thoughts on who you thinks going to get back first out of Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Who do you want to get back first?_**

 ** _Who do you thinks going to save the world out of everyone?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael & Lucy at the end?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen next?_**


	23. A Trip Around Time

**MY LASHTON HEART HAS NEVER BEEN MORE ALIVE AND BEATING AFTER LAST NIGHT. IT HAS NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER BEEN THIS ALIVE.**

 **OMg, it was so freaking good though! Even better than when I went last week. But they took Heartache On the big Screen, Beside You & Waste the Night off the set-list :( I've also come to the conclusion Disconnected is my favourite song live, it is so freaking good. And Ashton was more lively, he didn't really speak last week but he did last night :D I love him. He's my fave. It still didn't feel real seeing 5SOS. Like idk.**

 **OH YEAH & also**

 **I was making my way back to the hotel to get ready to go to the show after getting something to eat. I'm walking along, minding my own business when this boy's walking towards me. I look at him, he looks at me & we make eye contact & keep staring at each other for a good few seconds as we walk by each other - I recognised him from somewhere, but I didn't know where. As soon as we broke eye contact, I stopped walking cos I realised who it was.**

 **Connor.**

 **Connor Ball.**

 **As in Connor from The Vamps, Connor. I was so confused - I wasn't like "OH MY GOD ITS CONNOR" I was genuinely so confused - so I ran after him, but by the time i'd turned around & followed where he went I lost him.**

 **Like. Of all the times to freaking see someone like that randomly.**

 **Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 23  
** _A Trip Around Time_ **  
**

 **Year: Unknown**

 **Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

Michael and Abasi appeared in the middle of a street, and it was night time. Michael looked around, trying to figure out where he was "What are you playing at?" He asked, looking back at Abasi "what the hell has this 'little trip' got to do with anything?"

"You'll see. And maybe once you've seen everything will start to make a bit more sense."

Michael glared at him, feeling the urge to punch the crap out of him but something was telling him not to.

"All you have to do is look closely at your surroundings and pay a bit more attention." Abasi said.

Michael looked around seeing that they were in the middle of a street – houses, cars and a corner shop. Nothing unusual. That is pretty much your typical street. He shrugged "I don't know where we are."

"Yes you do. Think harder. Look harder."

"You're being ridiculous. Take me back to the base in 2015 – even if we are in 2015. Where the hell are we anyway?" Michael asked, getting frustrated.

"You know where we are."

"No, I d—"

 _"Oh, come on please… He needs us. Just read it and you'll understand." A female voice said,_ echoing in Michael's head.

Michael shook his head, being suddenly drawn to a house down the street. Abasi smirked "Right, stop number two."

"No!" Michael shouted, turning round and lunging for him.

 **Year: 2015  
Date: March 29th  
Location: Hospital Unit, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Rocky and Rydel had got Ross and Brad to the hospital – having woken up Calum and to direct him in his deranged state as they dragged/carried Ross and Brad. Rocky carried Ross and Rydel dragged Brad.

They both got them to Ross' room in the hospital unit and they shut the door, locking it behind them. "We've gotta find a way to wake them up… You sort out Brad's head and I'll… attempt to fix Ross." Rocky said, kneeling on the floor next to him as there was only one bed in the room.

"Rocky, I don't think Calum's got time for us to sort them out. We need to do something."

"Like what?! We can't make them fuck whilst they're unconscious!"

"I know that I meant… basically make Calum in a dish with their… yeah… and then inject it into Brad so he can carry him and the egg will fertilize." Rydel said.

"Right and how exactly are you planning on getting their 'yeah' when Ross isn't even awake? 'Cause I'm not getting it. You can. Be my guest." Rocky said, pointing to Ross and moving out the way as if he was going to let her.

Rydel sighed, realising they couldn't. They needed Ross to be awake, Brad didn't matter as they could easily get an egg from him if he was awake or not.

"Plus, Brad's trying to help out with this end of the world situation – how's he going to carry a baby and help without getting himself hurt or with the chance of a miscarriage? He's already had one, don't make it a second." Rocky continued.

"It takes a while to fertilize – by the time this is over the chances are it'll be fertilized then and if Calum returns back to normal before then, we know it's going to fertilize."

Rocky ran his hands through his hair, becoming stressed "Yes. But how can we make Calum when he need one out of two of his parents awake!"

"I don't… I don't know…" Rydel said, pacing back and forth as she started to think.

Then something hit her.

Her eyes widened and she looked at Rocky.

"What?" Rocky asked, noticing.

 **Year: Unknown  
Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

Michael landed on Abasi as they appeared at the next place, which was the outside of an alleyway, and he punched him in the face. Abasi threw Michael off him and jumped up from the floor "Fighting isn't going to get you away from this!" Abasi said, as Michael got up from the floor "I'm showing you what your so called friends, Rydel and Calum, won't because they're scared of what you'll do – 'cause they know what you're capable of. Be thankful I'm showing you the truth."

"What truth?" Michael asked.

"That your whole life has been a lie."

Michael was confused and didn't say a word as random images kept flashing through his head. Abasi smiled at him before turning round and running off, Michael came out of his trance seconds later and chased after him when he noticed he'd ran off.

He followed him and ended up in the alleyway, coming to an abrupt stop as Abasi had stopped and he had his back to him. He stood next to him where he seen two other boys – Michael looked at them closely from where he stood and began to go into some sort of trance. "Do you recognise them?" Abasi asked, and Michael never responded.

"Just leave him alone, he's done nothing wrong to you – it's not fair that you're putting him through this. Nobody should go through this." One of the two boys said.

"This is none of your business." The other boy said.

"He's my best friend, it's my business whether you like it or not."

"If you value your pretty face it's not."

"Who's the one that just threatened the ash-blonde haired boy?" Abasi asked.

"He's called Doug. He's a… He's lost the plot. He lost it a long time ago. But hey-ho that's what drugs and whatever else have you does to you." Michael said.

"Okay, so who's the ash-blonde boy? The nice one."

"He's called Callum – not like my Calum. Even though Calum is named after that Callum in front of us."

Abasi nodded before furrowing his brow "How do you know that?"

Michael came out of his trance and shook his head "I… I don't know… Oh my, God, what…" He said, rubbing his head as he was becoming confused and remembering things he didn't even know about.

Abasi stepped away from Michael before typing away on his wrist-epoch and taking them somewhere else whilst Michael was in the state of mind he was in.

'Cause this way he had a better chance of remembering.

 **Year: 2015  
Date: March 29th  
Location: Hospital Unit, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

"Rydel, you're scaring me. What is it?" Rocky asked.

She put her hands over her mouth and looked at Calum and back at Rocky "W-when we were looking at who our parents were and stuff… all we got name wise was A. Irwin, L. Hemmings, R. Lynch or B. Simpson."

"Riiight…" Rocky said, not liking where he felt like this was going at all.

"But when it said 'R. Lynch' it didn't specify if it was you or Ross. It didn't put 'S' or 'M' in for your middle name to show it was you."

"Rydel, if you're telling me what I think you're trying to tell me, I'm gonna cry."

"For Calum's parents it just said: 'B. Simpson and R. Lynch'. We… we just assumed it was Ross."

"NOOOOO!"

 **Year: Unknown  
Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

"So tell me Michael, do you know anything now that you did before? Or remember anything you had forgotten?" Abasi asked, appearing at the next place – even though Abasi had taken him to several other places Michael found familiar and he had now gone into some sort of daze as more voices kept echoing through his head.

He looked at Abasi "I don't know who I am anymore…"

"Oh you do. You really do." Abasi said.

"Why are you out here?" A familiar voice asked, in the distance.

Michael looked to see Rocky, Joe, Dan and Caspar in waiting room seats in the hospital and Luke came out of a room. "I got kicked out." Luke said, sounding drunk.

"Why?" Caspar asked.

"I don't… I don't know…"

Michael furrowed his brow and got a sudden pain in his head, gasping from the pain and holding his head. "Has it hit you yet? Has it hit you what your friends have been hiding from you?" Abasi asked.

Michael looked up, back down at Luke, Rocky, Joe, Dan and Caspar who were all sat in waiting chairs, and he started breathing heavily, shaking his head "No… No, I'm not. There's no way I am. I'd know."

"Yeah of course you would – if you didn't get your memory wiped of it."

Michael turned his head to Abasi who smiled at him "Next stop." He said, pressing the button on his wrist-epoch.

 **Year: 2015  
Date: March 29th  
Location: Hospital Unit, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

"No, no, no – how can you be so sure it's me and not Ross?" Rocky asked.

"Well for starters Ross isn't going to wake up in time and by the time he does Calum will have disappeared into non-existence and you're the only other R. Lynch in the room… And Calum has dark features like you and Brad do… Ross has light features. Like me. Which is making me think I got mine and Calum's parents mixed up…"

Rocky wiped his face with his hands "Honestly, in the last five seconds of my life, I wouldn't have seen this coming."

Rydel looked at Calum who was out of it in the chair "I feel sorry for him… He really believes Ross is his other Dad and Ross and Brad both believe they are too," Rydel sighed and turned round before handing something to Rocky. He took it from her, seeing it was a small container. "Go on then. Otherwise Calum's gonna disappear." Rydel said.

"Oh my, God, this isn't happening." Rocky said, going into the store cupboard in the room and shutting the door.

As Rydel was beginning the process of making Calum someone started knocking on the door. She ignored it but they continued to knock.

"Is anybody in there?" Samara asked, continuing to knock on Ross' door.

Rydel opened up the door and let her in, shutting the door. "Rydel! Oh my, God, what happened to them?" Samara asked.

"Grenade – it sent Ross flying down a stairwell, knocked Brad out cold in the hallway and Calum's about to disappear into non-existence. Rocky! Are you done in there?"

"Excuse me, believe it or not, but this actually takes time." Rocky said, from inside the cupboard.

"What's he doing?" Samara asked.

"You'll find out. We're trying to make Calum into a test-tube baby, basically, and put him into Brad so we don't have to wait for the natural process of making a child happen. And it especially ain't gonna happen now."

"Why?"

"'Cause it turns out Rocky's actually the Father or Calum and not Ross," Rydel said, where Samara looked blown away and baffled – almost like her entire life had been a lie "I know." Rydel said, understand the emotions she was probably, and more than likely, feeling.

"Wait, how can Brad carry a baby and fight?" Samara asked.

"The egg won't be fertilized – by the time this is over it will be."

Samara shook her head "No, by the time you put it in Brad it'll be pretty much fertilized and then he can't fight. Trust me, I know this, I've been working in the hospital unit ever since I got here."

"Well… He… He obviously can't fight then. He's gonna have to stay somewhere safe."

Samara laughed "Are you kidding me? This place and the world depends on him as much as they do the others. He's not carrying that baby, he'll either hurt it or get it killed."

Rocky came out of the cupboard, handing Rydel the container that obviously now had what she needed in it. Rydel shrugged "Well, if he's not going to carry it who is?" Rydel asked.

The three stayed quiet for a moment.

Samara looked down at Calum "When is he gonna wake up?"

"I don't know. He could wake up whenever." Rydel answered.

"Let me carry it."

"Who? What? Where? Why?" Rocky asked.

"I'll stay locked in here and watch Calum and wait for him to wake up." Samara said.

"A-are you sure?" Rydel asked.

Samara nodded "Yeah. Besides, after everything that's happened since I met these guys… It's the least I could do."

Rocky and Rydel glanced at each other, and Rocky shrugged.

 **Year: Unknown  
Date: Unknown  
Location: Unknown**

Michael rubbed his head, trying to get himself together as this was getting too much for him even though he didn't know what was. He opened his eyes and looked, seeing they were in a hallway at the base "You brought us back?" Michael asked.

"Maybe."

Everything seemed too peaceful for it to be 2015 which made Michael think that they were in the past somewhere.

"Do you know now?" Abasi asked.

"I don't believe it."

"Really?" Abasi asked, and Michael nodded "but… it's so obvious, is it not? Come on, think about it more."

Michael rolled his eyes and tried not to think about it but he couldn't help it.

"Come on, it's not that hard to believe Michael. Sorry, no wait, my mistake. It's not that hard to believe… Brad."

"I'm not Brad!" Michael protested.

"Yes you are! You are him."

"If I am how can we both be in the same place? 2037 AND 2015?" Michael asked.

"'Cause you don't look the same and therefore didn't think anything of it."

"Alright, if I am Brad why do I look like this? Why don't I actually look like him?" Michael asked.

"Why couldn't Rydel and Calum tell him how he died without being awkward about it?" Abasi asked, and Michael stayed silent.

" _What about me? What happened to me?" Brad asked, where everything went silent._

 _Rydel and Calum glanced at each other and then looked at Brad "You died." Rydel said._

" _How?"_

" _Explosion."_

 _Michael let out a soft laugh "Yeah, I got caught in an explosion once. It hurt a lot. I got first degree burns all over my body – them two had to reconstruct my face it was that bad." Michael said, quickly pointing at Rydel and Calum and making the other five boys grimace._

" _Wait... So you don't actually look like that?" Ross asked._

 _Michael shook his head "Nope. I looked completely different to this – my facial features were completely different."_

"Because he didn't die. Because you're him – or better yet, you are you."

Michael shook his head "No, it's just a coincidence." He said, trying his hardest not to believe this.

"The scar on the back of your neck."

 _Michael put his bag down and sat down, hissing in pain._

" _What's wrong?" Rydel asked._

 _Michael rubbed the back of his neck "My scar hurts."_

 _Dan went to go look away but he done a double-take when he seen the back of Michael's neck and seen a scar where his eyes widened. "Michael," Dan said, snappily which made Michael come out of his trance and look at Dan "w-where did you get that scar from on the back of your neck?" Dan asked, very nervously._

 _Michael shrugged "Er... I um... I don't know. I've-I've always had it."_

 _Brad scratched the back of his neck. "What's wrong?" Ashton asked._

" _Remember when... I kinda turned and tried to kill you all?" Brad asked._

" _Yeah."_

" _Well, when I was fighting Ross he got me in the back of the neck and left a mark."_

" _It's been like... Six or seven months since that happened why have you still got a mark?" Ashton asked._

" _It's not a mark any more... it's a scar. Dan noticed it first. He asked me about the scab on the back of my neck, I got confused, he held a mirror behind me and I saw it. After a month or so he did the same and showed me the scar."_

Abasi raised his brow "Do you believe me now?" Abasi asked, and 'Michael' never said a word "Also… Not to mention… Dan's known ever since he first met this version of you – well, he had his suspicion but then he confirmed it himself when he seen the scar on the back of your neck."

"How?" 'Michael' asked, staring into space where his confusion and disbelief was slowly turning into anger.

"Your name. Your name is the most obvious thing that could have given this away."

"How so?" He asked.

"Does that really need explaining?"

 _Michael. "Does that really need explaining?" - Abasi._

" _Michael?" Luke suggested. Ashton become thoughtful for a moment. "Oh come on, Ashton!"_

" _No, no! I don't not like it! I like it, I do! It's great, honestly, good job. But... I feel like it needs something to go with it like a middle name."_

 _Luke smiled, being happy they'd finally settled on a name cause Luke was honestly about to slap Ashton if he said no one more time "Okay, you can go through that, pick names and I'll sit back whilst I judge the names with little Michael here." Luke said, holding their baby up a little._

" _I had an uncle when I was younger that I liked a lot growing up – but he died in a car crash. Ironically his name was Will."_

 _Luke let out a soft laugh "Michael Will Hemmings."_

" _Yes he is. Your baby is in this base but the older version of him is too." Samara said._

" _Does he know who we are to him?" Ashton asked, not being sure as to what to make of this._

" _Who is it?" Rocky asked._

" _Are you happy now Samara? You know, I hope he kills you like he's supposed to and I hope he does it soon because you sure as hell deserve it." Dan snapped._

" _I'm not the only one he's going to kill over all this. So if I were you, I'd go tell Ross to start digging his grave now. Ross Lynch's life ends tomorrow courtesy of Bradley Will Simpson—oh wait, sorry, force of habit. I mean Michael Will Hemmings."_

" _This Michael we're talking about is Luke and Ashton's son and Calum is Ross and Brad's." Rocky said._

" _Michael as in Brad?" Dan asked._

 _Luke shook his head "No, we have another son and call him Michael for some reason which I don't understand why."_

"And… What's your full name, Michael?" Abasi asked.

"Michael Will Hemm…ings…"

Abasi grinned as 'Michael' was hit with realisation "And to think… Rydel, Calum and Dan have been hiding this from you." He said, where 'Michael' stepped back from him – where everything had slowly but surely come back to him about his life.

And it all finally made sense.

"Also, why the hell would Luke and Ashton have two sons called 'Michael'? It's because they've only ever had one…" Abasi said.

" _You..."_

" _Me?" Brad asked._

 _Michael stepped towards him "Yeah, you... I've seen you before."_

" _Obviously, you've spent the last ten and a bit months with me."_

" _No... Before now."_

He was in fact Brad.

And once again… He had been lied to for a good chunk of his life that he was never going to get back by his so called 'friends'.

Just like when he found out about Luke and Ashton being his parents.

And all those feelings that he felt from that day were coming rushing back.

"Is that… hatred I see in your eyes Mich—sorry… Brad?" Abasi asked, Michael!Brad looked at him with a small glare "are you turning back to your old ways? Like, when you first found out Luke and Ashton were your parents? Are you going back to who you were back then?"

Michael!Brad stayed silent and continued to glare at Abasi until he head-butted him in the face, taking him by surprise and tripping him up so he wound up on the floor. He kicked and punched him until he decided to draw out his gun and shoot him dead "I don't know about you, but that Brad only needs to come back when it's necessary. Like now." Michael!Brad said.

He took Abasi's wrist-epoch off him and threw it back onto the floor, stomping on it so it broke and stopped working to ensure that Abasi couldn't get back to 2015 if he was still alive. But he doubts it. After that, he decided to look and see what year he was in so he could type it on his wrist-epoch and get back.

There was nobody on the hallways he was walking on so he decided to check the rooms, but they were either store cupboards or empty. He got to the third to last room and knocked before opening the door, seeing someone sat in a chair at a desk with their back to him.

"Um… Excuse me?" Michael!Brad said.

The person turned round in their chair and Michael!Brad's face fell and his eyes widened.

It was Will.

Well, a past version of Will.

"Hey, who are you? I've never seen you before." Past!Will asked.

"Er… I… I'm Br—Michael. I'm new…"

"Right… Are you alright? Can I help you with anything?"

Michael!Brad snapped out of his shocked trance "Er, yeah, sorry. I know this is going to sound really, really weird but… What's the date and year?"

Past!Will laughed "Have you been drinking?" He asked, and Michael!Brad just shrugged "or are you from the future?" he asked, in which Michael!Brad became a little worried "I'm kidding, don't look so worried. March 14th, 2012."

Michael!Brad nodded "Thanks."

He was about to leave when Past!Will stopped him. "Seen as though I just helped you, could you help me?"

"Sure." Michael!Brad said, turning back to him.

"I know I don't know you, but… I could really do with it. See… a couple days ago I got these three people, Joe, Dan and Caspar, to dress up in balaclavas and such to pretend they were invading the base, stealing from it and trying to cause some sort of harm to everyone, whilst these five other people were on their own and they fell for it. They worked really, really well together. I know they're only young and all but they're now like my little secret workers for stuff like that – 'cause it happens more than you think you know," Past!Will explained, and Michael!Brad smiled a little in happiness and sadness because he was happy to see Will again, but he was sad because Will had no idea what the future held

"And… I kinda need a name for them because calling them 'Ross, Rocky, Brad, Luke and Ashton' is going to take way too long and fill up a lot of space. I need a name. I can't think of anything, can you help me or not?"

Michael!Brad tried to think of a name but he couldn't think of anything "No, I can't think of anything sorry."

"Oh… Okay. Thanks anyway."

Michael!Brad went to leave but remembered something.

" _He is three out of five of that little team which we really need to find a name for because I can't keep calling them a little team." Rydel said._

" _What's all their names?" Michael asked._

" _BRRAL!" Michael suddenly shouted._

" _What?" Rydel asked._

" _BRRAL. Call them that instead of 'the little team'. Get it? Brad, Ross, Rocky, Ashton, Luke... Acronym... It saves like... five minutes."_

" _Y-yeah... I got it." Rydel said, looking at him like he was insane._

"BRRAL," Michael!Brad said, making Past!Will look at him "Brad, Ross, Rocky, Ashton, Luke… Saves like five minutes and a lot of space when writing."

Past!Will nodded "It does," He said, before looking uncertain after a few seconds of silence "even though I love them five, I'm not so sure the whole team thing will work out or if it's a good idea. Should I scrap it and forget about it? 'Cause if it goes wrong in any way I'll get it in the neck by these three other people."

He doubted the idea of the five of them working together?

Alright, fair enough, it was early stages so the five boys working together was obviously going to be a little bit rocky and seem like it but still.

"I don't know if it's anything to go by but I think it's a good idea. A very good idea. Sure, it might be a bit rocky at first, but hey… isn't every new idea?" Michael!Brad said.

"I guess…" Past!Will said, with a small smile.

"I think it might be the best idea you've ever had."

"I didn't come up with the idea though, these two other people did – Dan and Phil. They talked about it and I overheard them. Ever since I've kept it quiet and with me until the right people came along and I feel like these guys are the right people."

Dan and Phil came up with the idea?

Damn.

Those boys were very special with their ideas and most of the time they've appeared to work.

Those two have a lot to answer for with everything that's happened at this place – mainly good 'cause they've changed it for the better without even realising.

So that lead Michael!Brad to question how he could be mad at Dan for keeping him being Brad a secret when he's done all this for him and the others? It also lead him to question how he could be mad at everyone else and want to kill them again. All those feelings went away immediately. Yeah, he was angry Dan, Rydel and Calum kept this from him but there was no need to kill them over it.

That Brad didn't need to come back.

Michael!Brad smiled a little "Alright, let me rephrase. I think it'll be the best idea that they've come up with. So far. You'd be a fool not to go along with and develop on it."

Past!Will smiled "Alright, I will. Thank you, Michael."

Michael!Brad nodded "You won't regret it, sir, I can promise you that now." He said, turning round to leave.

"Where are you going?" Past!Will asked.

"I'm going to stick to that promise."

 ** _Next:_** _Coming to an End_

* * *

 **I feel like an appearance from Will was needed in this story - whether if it was in a dream sequence, in the past or if he was brought back from the dead somehow haha. But I felt like a past version of him making an appearance was the best way to go about this :) I hope you liked it.**

 **And for those who are confused the easiest way I can put it is that Michael & Brad are the same person cos in The Weight of Us, Luke & Ashton named their baby "Michael Will Hemmings" before they found out Brad was their child - so Michael's his birth name & he goes by Brad bc it's what he's always been called after being given to his adoptive parents before he found out Lashton were his real ones if that makes sense?**

 **Okay so... In the next chapter, it's the start of everything coming to an end & wrapping up slowly but surely. There's almost less than 10 chapters left & I am in no way prepared for this to finish.**

 **Thank you for reading & I'll see you in the next chapter.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Michael?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Abasi?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky being Calum's Dad & not Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on her carrying Rocky & Brad's baby?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael being Brad/Brad being Michael? (basically, thoughts on them being the same person haha)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad killing Abasi?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Past!Will?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad & Past!Will (or just Brad & Will)?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	24. Coming to An End

_**Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 24  
** _Coming to An End_ **  
**

 **Year: 2015  
** **Date: March 29th  
** **Location: Hospital Unit, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Brad woke up and felt his head stinging. He sat up seeing Rocky, Rydel, Samara, Calum, and Ross, who was holding an icepack on his head, in the room – himself, Ross, Rocky, Samara and Rydel being the only ones awake. Calum was out cold.

He hissed in pain, feeling his head which felt like it had stitches "What happened?" Brad asked.

"Someone threw a grenade at us and it knocked you and Ross out." Rydel said.

"I ache. How did I not break a bone?" Ross asked.

"You were very fucking lucky." Rocky replied.

Brad noticed Calum who was unconscious "Did you manage to figure something out for him?"

Rydel nodded "Yeah, we did. We made him and Samara's currently pregnant with him."

Brad gave Samara a funny look. "You can't fight and carry a baby – you'll hurt it or kill it. So… I offered. Say hello to a baby in nine months." Samara said.

"Great." Brad said, sarcastically.

"My life's going to get even more fun." Ross said, not really looking forward to having to look after a baby 24/7.

Rydel went to go say something Ross – obviously to tell him that he wasn't Calum's Dad, and that it's Rocky – but Rocky shook his head and stopped her from continuing. Rydel furrowed her brow at him as that meant Rocky was going to lie to Ross, and Brad too, and make him continue to think he's Calum's Dad.

"Alright, you guys better get back to it. I'll stay here with Calum until he wakes up," Samara said, as Ross, Rocky, Brad and Rydel got up from where they were "the next time I see you guys I expect the world to be safe and Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey to be dead," She said, letting out a small laugh afterwards and hugging Brad who was in front of her "good luck."

"Thanks. See ya." Rocky said, as he, the two other boys and Rydel left.

Samara locked the door behind them when they left and looked at Calum who was passed out in the chair still.

In a flash of blue light, Ashton appeared in the middle of the hallway he was last left on and breathed in relief that he was back, and hopefully before Luke. The wrist-epoch's he and Luke were wearing were still on the floor and he got up from the floor to go find Maxwell and see if he had escaped HQ yet.

He ran round the corner when he collided into someone.

Luke.

"Luke."

"Ashton. When… When did you get back?" Luke asked.

"About five seconds ago." **(a/n: no pun intended)**

"Same…"

They both stayed silent, not being sure if one of them got back a millisecond before the other. "How'd you get back?" Luke asked.

"Um… Luckily I got sent to the base and a future version of Dan gave me a wrist-epoch."

"Oh… Same. Except… Dan never gave me it someone else did."

"Who?" Ashton asked.

"Never you mind." Luke said, tapping Ashton's face gently.

"Well, I gotta go." Ashton said, about to run off to go find Maxwell.

Luke grabbed him by the arm and stopped him "Wait, wait. Where to?"

"To find the others and obviously Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey – you know, to kill them. Like we've came here to do. Why are we all standing around wasting time? We could have done it by now."

"Be careful." Luke said, after being silent.

"I will and you too." Ashton said, running to go find Maxwell and Luke ran in the opposite direction to do the same thing.

It was just who would find him first out of the pair of them that would determine what happened next.

Dan locked the door to the Epoch Room to ensure nobody could get in there – like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey or Mariah, Isaac or Abasi. He ran away from the room and seen Phil coming his way as he got onto the hallway of the science department.

"Nobody's around, I can't find anyone." Phil said.

"What? Brad, Ross, Rocky..? All of them?" Dan asked.

Phil shook his head "No, I mean… guards and everyone who works here. They've all disappeared."

"Well the workers will be in the basement where we've sent them, and as for the guards… maybe some of them have joined them or some have been killed?"

"I don't know."

The pair took off where they wound up bumping into Joe, Caspar, Courtney and Mia. "Where are you all going?" Dan asked.

"To find the others, we can't find anyone. Not even Isaac, Mariah, Abasi, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey." Courtney said.

"Alright, we should all stick together now and try and find them." Dan suggested.

Ashton had made his way to HQ and was looking around for Maxwell. He got to the room he left him in earlier after shooting him in the leg, and he opened up the door to see he had gone. Which meant he was on the roof.

Great.

Ashton left and proceeded to go to the roof to find him – whereas Luke had already made his way there and hadn't bothered to check HQ.

Ross, Rocky, Brad and Rydel were wondering around quickly in the search for everyone when they found Dan, Phil, Joe, Caspar, Courtney and Mia. "Are Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey dead?" Joe asked, as they all approached each other.

"No we haven't seen them yet." Brad said.

"Yeah, well, I thought I'd let you know it's only us, Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah, Isaac and Abasi in the base now. Everyone else is locked in the basement till we go get them." Dan said.

Ross nodded "Right, okay."

"Where's Alex, Kyle and Nate?" Rocky asked.

"I sent them to the vaults to see if any warheads had been set to detonate, I don't know how they're getting on though." Dan said.

"What about the Hangar?"

"Nobody's checked there."

"Ross, Brad, Caspar, go to the Hangar and check," Rocky said, and the three nodded "okay, er… Luke, Ashton and Michael are off looking for Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey and I'm pretty sure Ashley, Landon, Ryan, Renzo and Bailey are looking for Mariah, Isaac and Abasi."

"Abasi's dead and I have no idea where Luke and Ashton are." Michael!Brad said, coming down the hallway and re-joining them, looking worn out.

"He is?" Rydel asked.

"Yeah. I shot him." He said, giving Rydel an unhappy look.

"What do you mean by that you don't know where Luke and Ashton are?" Brad asked, a little concerned.

"If you don't find out today, you'll find out eventually." Michael!Brad said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just trust me alright? I haven't got the energy." Michael!Brad said, not really up for arguing with himself.

"Luke and Ashton are here. I could have sworn I seen Ashton running about but he'd disappeared before I could get his attention." Courtney said.

Rocky nodded, thinking for a moment "Right, okay… Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey… Mariah and Isaac… That's alright. You guys all get to the basement or somewhere safe, you're all done now."

"What?" Dan asked, taken back a little.

"Yeah, there's only five people left and there's five of us so… Plus, Bailey, Renzo, Ryan, Landon and Ashley are trying to get Mariah and Isaac, we'll have them all gone in no time. Honestly, guys, you've done everything you've needed to do so far… your job here is done. This is all over for you now."

"Are you sure?" Joe asked.

"Yeah. We can handle it." Rocky said, glancing at Ross and Brad with a small smile.

Even though everyone was unsure about leaving the five boys all to themselves to handle the rest of this situation, they went along with it anyway.

"Do you still need me to go to the Hangar?" Caspar asked.

"Yeah can do, just in case." Ross said.

"Alright, well… Good luck I guess. And don't fuck up or I'll kill the five of you myself." Dan said, making Ross, Brad and Rocky laugh.

"Go on, we'll see you later." Rocky said.

They all said bye to the three boys before going to safety, which was the basement, apart from Caspar as he was going to the Hangar with Ross and Brad.

"We're going to be with Calum until he wakes up and update Samara," Rydel said, and Rocky nodded "good luck. And do us proud."

Rocky patted her on the shoulder and gave her a quick hug. "Come on, let's go." Brad said, about to go to the Hangar with Ross and Caspar.

"Brad." Michael!Brad said.

"Yeah?"

"If you value your face and the skin on your body… don't go anywhere near HQ." Michael!Brad warned.

"Alright..?" Brad said, being confused and then leaving with Ross and Caspar.

"Gotta bounce. I'm going to find Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey." Rocky said, taking off in the opposite direction.

Rydel and Michael!Brad looked at each other – Rydel was giving him a funny look after how he was acting and what he said to Brad, or himself rather. "I know, Rydel. Abasi told me and took me around different parts of my life to remind me. Why?" Michael!Brad asked.

"We didn't want to tell you in case it was too much for you to handle. You were in a right state after you got caught in that explosion."

"Why did I get my memory wiped though?" Michael!Brad asked.

"You had your memory wiped before the explosion. You got your memory wiped and then got sent to us in the future, a few weeks later is when you got caught in the explosion and had to be made to look like that 'cause of all the burns on your face and body. You got your memory wiped 'cause you thought the only way to end all this was by blowing up this place, you were stopped but after you, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton fled, you… I don't know… you started getting more… psychotic? I don't know what it was. So the other four got you all caught by patrol on purpose where you got took back to the base and Luke found a pay phone where he called Dan and asked him to wipe your memory so you weren't like how you were 'cause it was better than killing you. Dan asked him what he wanted him to do with you after your memory of everyone and your whole life was gone because you wouldn't be able to stay at the base, so Luke told him to send you where nobody could find you so that you were safe. To the future. Dan wiped your memory despite your protests, set a mini-epoch to the distant future and me and Calum found you… and… here you are. We didn't want you remembering in case you went back to how you were."

Michael!Brad stayed silent, not being sure on how to comment on that.

"We were doing it for your own good, please understand that. It's not like when you found out about Luke and Ashton being your parents, that wasn't for your own good, we all know that but this was for your own good. Who would want to see you turn into a maniac like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey?"

"Alright, I understand." Michael!Brad said.

"Are you good?"

Michael!Brad nodded "I'm good," he breathed deeply "Jesus Christ, these… these past few months and years have been something – and I've had to live through it twice! I'm so glad it's all finally coming to an end."

"Me too. Come on, Calum needs us."

 ** _Next:_** _All Going to Die_

* * *

 **It's getting closer & closer to the final arc of the story & more importantly the final chapter arghhhhhhhhhh**

 **And in 10 chapters time... You're all going to be on the floor screaming - will it be in happiness or will it be in sadness? Who knows.**

 **There are 15 chapters left until the final chapter. (I remember when I was writing this for the beginning of the end)**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him lying to Ross (and Brad & Calum) about him being the Father of Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Who do you think got back first?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	25. All Going to Die

**So we're dangerously close to the story going into the 30s with chapters & the story ends on Chapter 39.**

 **yeah, this story has gone by way faster than I expected.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 25  
** _All Going to Die_ **  
**

Ross, Brad and Caspar had got to the Hangar and nobody and nothing was in there but the planes. The door where the planes exit was open and there was a plane sat still in the middle of the runway like there was last time so Ross decided to go check on it due to what happened last time whilst Brad and Caspar checked the planes in the Hangar.

Ashton arrived at the roof after ditching Luke downstairs. He opened the door and walked out onto the roof slowly, seeing it was completely empty and nobody was there – which was nothing unusual as it wasn't very often people came to the roof.

He let the door fall shut and walked forwards "Is anyone there?" Ashton called, and there was no response "hello?" he continued to call out but got no response or appearance from anyone. "Come on, I know someone's there."

Still nothing.

"Maxwell? I know you're here. I'm not leaving until you show yourself."

Still nothing.

He sighed shakily because he didn't want to run the risk of letting Maxwell live – but it wouldn't hurt for him to check HQ to see if he was still there somewhere and come back, right?

Ashton turned round to leave the roof when the door opened and Luke was there. "Ashton? What are you doing here?" Luke asked.

"What are you doing here?" Ashton asked.

"I asked you first."

"Er… Um…" Ashton struggled to come up with an excuse as he didn't want to tell him what he saw in the future "I think Maxwell's up here. What about you, why are you here?"

"Same… Any reason why you think he's up here?" Luke asked.

"'Cause I got told he was when I was in the future."

"Same. Is he here?"

"No, I can't see him. Should we go check HQ and see if he's still there?" Ashton suggested.

Luke nodded "Yeah, come on." He said, about to leave.

"Maybe you should look harder, Ashton." Maxwell said.

Both boys turned back around and seen Maxwell before hearing the roof door slam shut and lock. "Don't worry, it's only Isaac locking the door." Maxwell said.

"Why?" Luke asked.

"So you can escape so easily. I mean, the only other way you have of escaping is by jumping off the roof and that's not a fall you're going to survive is it? But we could put it to the test if you like."

Luke immediately stood in front of Ashton protectively, as he knew he was pregnant from what Lucy and Future!Michael told him but he didn't know if Ashton knew himself.

Ashley, Landon and Ryan were in the warehouse looking for Mariah or Isaac, or both if they were lucky – Bailey and Renzo were also looking for them too in a different part of the base.

Ashley was on the ground level of the warehouse whilst Ryan and Landon were on the upper level. She was sneaking around the stacks being careful as she looked around every corner, and as she looked round one corner she felt herself get grabbed from behind which made her scream, grabbing Ryan and Landon's attention.

The boys found a way down to the bottom level, calling out her name but she didn't answer – and she wouldn't as someone obviously had hold of her. Ryan mimicked with his hand for Landon to go one way and for him to go the other, and they did so.

Landon looked around a few stacks trying to find Ashley with his gun in his hand in case he got a surprise attack from anyone. He came out from a few stacks where he seen Mariah having hold of Ashley with a knife to her throat. "Oh, I thought I heard you scream…" Landon said.

He stepped forwards and Mariah put the knife closer to Ashley's throat "Come any closer and I'll cut her throat wide open." She said.

"Cool."

"What?" Mariah and Ashley both questioned at the same time.

"I mean the last time you threatened to kill someone it was with a gun and they lived 'cause there was nothing in it. If this time is anything to go by last time, that knife's probably blunt and won't a thing." Landon said.

"Are you trying to put me to the test?" Mariah asked.

"No, no. I'm… Just saying that's all."

Silence fell and Ashley stood nervously 'cause she was waiting for him to help her but he wasn't, he was just standing there testing Mariah on what she would do to her. "What are you waiting for?" Landon asked, which confused the two girls "if you're gonna stab her, stab her. Don't stand there and talk about it."

"That tactics old and not going to work." Mariah said.

Landon shrugged "Eh, it was worth a shot. After all, you're gonna have quite a headache after this."

"What?"

Suddenly, Ryan smashed the butt of his gun across Mariah's head so she let go of Ashley and ended up on the floor. Ryan pushed Ashley in Landon's direction for them all to run and hide because the blow to the head didn't knock her out.

Mariah got up off the floor, being dizzy from the hit and beginning to search for them around the warehouse. She searched for a short while before somebody jumped on her back, wrapped their arms around her neck to choke her – it was obviously Ashley 'cause if it was Ryan or Landon she'd have fell to the floor as they were much more heavier.

Ashley let go of her and Mariah turned round to punch her but Ashley ducked and managed to punch her instead, where she then pushed her away from her where all of a sudden a stack collapsed and landed on top of Mariah courtesy of Ryan and Landon pushing it over. Ashley ran away when she seen the collapsed stack moving as it didn't kill or knock Mariah out.

Mariah got out of the stack where Ryan was and she charged towards him with her knife but he kicked it out of her hand before she got to him and he grabbed hold of her where she wriggled round viciously. "Landon! A little help!" Ryan called, where Landon appeared, seeing her wriggling around so he grabbed hold of her too so it was hard for her to wriggle out of their grasp.

Brad and Caspar were done checking the planes in the Hangar and they were all thankfully empty of nuclear warheads. Caspar came out of a plane he was on "Brad!"

"Yeah?"

"All the planes I've checked are completely empty."

"Same here." Brad said, as they met in the middle of the Hangar.

They both looked to the exit of where the planes went out to get onto the runway when Ross came back in from checking the plane that was on the runway. "Is it empty?" Brad asked.

"It's locked, I can't get into it so there's a 99% chance it's empty." Ross said.

"Well this must be the time where it's the 1%." Caspar said, staring at the exit.

Ross was confused and Caspar nodded towards the exit where the plane had been started up and was making its way down the runway. "Oh, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Ross panicked, making his way towards the exit but stopped.

"Couldn't you have just broken down the door to make sure it was empty?" Brad asked.

"No, it's too heavy. Er… Oh my, God, we're gonna have to chase it and… get on it somehow."

"How?" Caspar asked.

"I'll drive the plane and… one of you two try and get onto the plane that just took off?"

"Brad can do that." Caspar said, in panic as he didn't fancy missing the plane and falling to his death.

"Settled. Come on then." Ross said, about to make his way to a plane.

"And what are you gonna do if I miss the plane and die?" Brad asked.

"Then Caspar gets a turn. And if he fails… I get to have a turn but… that ain't gonna work 'cause who's gonna be driving the plane? So basically we've only got one chance of stopping that plane and that's you." Ross said, smiling at Brad.

"Well, you better hope my coordination skills are accurate." Brad said, not being amused that he was being made to do this.

"Hey, there's a first time for everything. By the way, do you know how to fly a plane?" Ross asked.

As if Brad's nerves weren't wracking him enough, they were beginning to wrack even more and his confidence had gone down by that question "No… Do you..?" Brad asked.

"Like I said before… there's a first time for everything."

Yeah.

They were all gonna die.

 ** _Next:_** _A Fatal Accident_

* * *

 **You can almost feel the intenseness & action building up for the next few chapters can't you? Haha.**

 **There are 14 chapters left of this story until the end.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell?_**

 ** _How do you think its going to end with them three?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mariah?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the runaway plane? Do you think they'll stop it?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	26. A Fatal Accident

_**Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 26  
** _A Fatal Accident_

Ross, Brad and Caspar were on the plane chasing the plane with the warhead on, and Ross was driving the plane they were on which was unnerving for Brad and Caspar. Brad was distracting himself by playing with his wrist-epoch to make sure he had set the coordinates on it accurately as if he didn't he'd miss the plane and fall to his death.

"We've caught up. Grab them two walkie-talkies over there, we'll use them to communicate." Ross said.

Caspar grabbed them both and gave one to Brad. Brad breathed deeply "Okay, okay. Oh my, God, I got this, I so got this. I can do it, I can do it and I won't fall to my death." Brad said, trying to make himself confident and less petrified "why isn't there an easier way to do this?" Brad asked.

"'Cause unfortunately that's not how it works." Ross answered.

Brad finished setting the coordinates on his wrist-epoch and showed it to Caspar to make sure he'd got them right. "Duuuude! If you do that you'll go splat! That's too far in front." Caspar said, grabbing his arm and sorting out the coordinates.

"If someone can come up with a safer way of doing this please don't be afraid to come forward." Brad said.

"Right, that should be accurate."

"'Should be'?" Brad questioned, not feeling confident by that "oh my, God, please tell me another way of how I can stop that plane instead of doing it this way."

"The world depends on you not complaining and getting on with this so shut up and do it." Ross said.

"But what if I die?!"

 _Then you die._ Ross thought in his head but bit back from saying it out loud. "Caspar, do you know where the transport button is on that thing?" Ross asked.

Caspar, still having hold of Brad's wrist, pressed the transport button, making Brad screaming as he disappeared in a flash of blue light. Ross smiled at Caspar "Thank you."

Brad screamed in fear still, with his eyes shut and he stopped before opening his eyes, seeing he was on the plane – at the back where the warhead was. He breathed in relief "Oh my, Christ almighty, thank the fucking lord." Brad said, being way too relieved he was alive and had actually landed on the enemy plane.

He walked around the warhead until he found the chamber which you open.

"Hey!" A voice shouted.

Brad looked over to where the voice had come from and seen someone who was obviously in charge of dropping the warhead off. "What are you doing here and how did you get on board?" The man asked.

"My friends are ass holes that's how I got on board," Brad said, and the man furrowed his brow "is this thing set to detonate?"

The man shook his head "Not yet. It will be soon though."

Brad shook his head "No it won't."

"And why's that?"

"As if it wasn't obvious?" Brad quickly walked over and punched the man in the face hard to the floor.

Why was it that easy to knock him down?

He shook it off and went to walk through the door to get to the pilot when the man grabbed his leg and dragged him down to the floor.

That's why.

Brad turned round on his back to kick or punch the man, depending on how close he was, but the man beat him to it and punched him. Brad jumped up off the floor and pushed him away violently, towards the warhead. He drew out a gun and aimed it at him "I won't kill you, I've had enough of doing that lately. Just get the pilot to turn the plane around and back to the base and don't detonate the warhead."

The man stayed silent before pulling out _two_ guns and aiming them at Brad.

"Oh well that's not fair." Brad said.

"How about you leave the way you came in?"

"How about no."

 ** _BANG!_**

Brad shot the man in one of his arms, making him drop one of his guns and as he went to pull the trigger with his spare arm, Brad shot him in that one as well. He then charged over and barged him down to the ground next to the warhead. The man slowly got up from the ground, in pain because of his arms, and came charging at Brad to attack him and out of fear/self-defence Brad fired the gun twice and hit him – making the man fall forwards, knocking into Brad and sending him flying to the floor.

Brad tried to grab something to stop him from falling but his hand hit of something that felt like it pushed in and he landed on the floor.

He groaned, seeing the man dead on the floor. He got up, looking for what he just hit with his hand and the only thing his hand was next to was the warhead but he couldn't have hit anything on that.

But that was when he seen the button that makes the warhead countdown to detonation.

"Oh my, God, please no…" Brad said, hoping like hell it wasn't that he had hit with his hand.

 _"Detonation in eight minutes."_ The voice on the detonator said.

"I want my Dad."

Ross and Caspar were still following the plane in front as they waited for Brad, and Ross was still driving it, and whilst he was Caspar had hold of the walkie-talkie in case Brad tried to contact them as he wasn't driving or doing anything but sat in the chair next to Ross. "What's taking him so long?" Ross asked.

"Hey, Brad, what's taking you so long?" Caspar asked, through the walkie-talkie.

"I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad, I want my Dad." Brad whimpered through the walkie-talkie.

Ross sighed "Oh for god sake, what have you done?"

 _"Detonation in seven minutes and fifty seconds."_

"BRAD!" Ross shouted, after hearing the detonator come through the walkie-talkie.

"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT! There was this man and I ended up fighting him, I shot him and he fell forwards and knocked me over and my hand pressed the button that sets the warhead to detonate as I hit the floor 'cause I was trying to grab something to stop me from falling and oh my, God, I want my Dad."

"You know considering you're the son of bomb disarmers you're pretty good at making them detonate." Caspar said.

"Guys, I don't know what to do! There's nothing sharp to cut the wires with and I have no idea what I'm doing anymore! GET SOMEONE WHO DOES!"

"Caspar, use your wrist-epoch to get back to the base and go get Luke, Ashton or Joe." Ross said.

"Considering he's begging for his Dad, I'll go get Luke or Ashton." Caspar said, getting up from the seat.

"And be quick. We have seven minutes."

"No pressure." Caspar said, sarcastically. He typed in the location of the base and disappeared.

 _Seven Minutes and Ten Seconds_

Caspar appeared in the hallway of the Armoury back at the base. He started looking around in panic when he realised where he was "THIS IS NOWHERE NEAR WHERE LUKE, ASHTON OR JOE ARE!" Caspar shouted, looking down at his wrist-epoch and hitting it before running to go find one of the three – whoever was the first one he would find out of Luke, Ashton and Joe.

And considering the three could be anywhere around the base, it could take some time, and he only had seven minutes – not even that – to find one of the three.

Joe was heading for the basement for safety and once he was in there, he couldn't come out.

Luke and Ashton were both trapped on the roof with Maxwell with no way off it unless they kill him – but Caspar doesn't know that.

And by the time he finds one of them it could be too late.

After all.

A lot can happen in seven minutes.

 ** _Next:_** _Seven Minutes_

* * *

 **There are 13 chapters left until the end of the story.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Do you think he'll get someone in time to stop the warhead from detonating?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	27. Seven Minutes

**This chapter isn't as long as I thought it was gonna be. o.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 27  
** _Seven Minutes_ **  
**

 _Seven Minutes and Five Seconds_ **(a/n: of summer tehe #buysoundsgoodfeelsgoodonitunes)**

Luke was still stood in front of Ashton protectively so that if Maxwell tried anything he couldn't get to him "If you want someone to fight then fight me, leave him alone." Luke said.

"Luke." Ashton said, in protest.

"No, you're staying out of this."

"Why?"

"For reasons that are very good and let's just leave it at that, alright?"

Ashton went to respond but his eyes widened "Luke, watch out!"

Before Luke could react, Ashton pushed him out of the way and hit Maxwell who was about to sneak up and attack Luke. Maxwell hit Ashton back and grabbed him by the arm, pulling Ashton towards him and throwing him onto the floor.

"Hey!" Luke shouted. He ran over and smacked Maxwell in the face with his fist before turning round and kicking him in the back so that he wound up on the floor. He rushed to Ashton who was still on the floor "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Luke asked.

"Just a tad. Ow," Ashton said, feeling the pain from being hit and thrown to the ground "LUKE!"

Maxwell grabbed Luke by the back of his shirt and dragged him away from Ashton, throwing Luke to the floor with a kick. He then turned round and made his way towards Ashton purposefully, with an obvious intention to hurt him in some way, so Ashton crawled backwards away from him as he didn't have time to stand up.

Once Maxwell was hovering above him, he drew out a knife to stab him but Ashton kicked up his legs and kicked him in the crotch, making him bend over so Ashton grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him to the floor before getting up himself when Luke came over.

Maxwell drew out a gun and aimed it at them both, pulling back the hammer and pulling the trigger – Luke grabbed Ashton and threw them both to the floor, Luke being on top of Ashton. "Are you hurt? You didn't get hit did you?" Luke asked.

"No! Why are you being like this all of a sudden?" Ashton asked, starting to get frustrated by it.

"Like what?"

"So protective. You've barely been like this throughout the entire situation," He said, making everything silent "did you see something when you got sent to the future?"

"Maybe. Did you?"

"Maybe."

Luke screamed because Maxwell grabbed him again, by surprise, and threw him out of the way before grabbing hold of Ashton and dragging him towards the edge of the roof. Luke immediately got up off the floor and went over him.

"One more move and he goes over." Maxwell said, having Ashton at the edge of the roof and practically dangling him over it.

 _Five Minutes and Thirty Seconds_

Caspar ran around frantically and quite possibly the fastest he ever had done to try and find Luke, Ashton or Joe, but he was having no luck 'cause he couldn't find anyone anywhere.

"Luke! Ashton! Joe!" He kept calling out.

He checked the time on his watch, seeing that he was running out of it dramatically. Caspar whimpered "Oh, come on… Someone make an appearance." He begged, beginning to run again.

 _Five Minutes_

Joe, Dan, Phi, Courtney and Mia were making their way down to the basement for safety like they were told to, carefully and sneakily in case they ran into Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah or Isaac.

They were almost there when Joe piped up. "Do you really think it's the right thing to do? To just leave them handle the rest of the situation on their own." Joe said.

"I don't know. They said they'd manage on their own. We just have to hope they're right about it I guess." Dan said.

Joe sighed, stopping in his tracks and looking back the way he came as he was really debating on going back to help rather than just hiding in the basement for safety.

 _Four Minutes and Thirty Seconds_

Luke stayed very still as Maxwell had Ashton practically hanging off the roof – he wasn't, he was just leaned over it with the force of Maxwell and if he let go, Ashton would for sure be gone. "Please just let him go. Do we really have to fight like this? I mean, I know it's a little too late to being saying this but… it's true." Luke said.

"It is true. But as you said… it's too late. The damage has already been done."

Luke got his gun out of his pocket and held it up which made Maxwell loosen his grip on Ashton which made him scream a little as he moved over the edge more and the floor seemed to be getting closer to him.

"No, no! If you let him go I'll drop it. I swear. I promise I won't hurt you." Luke said, in panic, and Maxwell stayed silent for a moment, debating on it.

That was when he smirked and let go of Ashton – making him go over the edge of the roof and fall.

"ASHTON!" Luke shouted.

"Whoops." Maxwell said, flatly.

Luke suddenly felt a new found fury building up inside of him before he charged over at Maxwell and punched him straight in the face and barging into him with his shoulder where Maxwell got close to the edge of the roof. Maxwell punched Luke but Luke grabbed him by the front of his shirt and threw him backwards so that he went over the edge of the roof and fell to his death.

He just had to pray Ashton hadn't fell to his.

Luke reluctantly looked over the edge of the roof, not quite wanting this answer, where Ashton had fell and to his relief Ashton was holding onto a drain pipe he grabbed hold of as he got pushed by Maxwell.

"Ash!" Luke reached his hand down to him "grab hold of my hand! I'll pull you back up," He said, where both Luke and Ashton heard the drain pipe beginning to break "Ashton! Grab hold of my hand!"

Ashton quickly let go of the drain with one of his hands and grabbed hold of Luke's, but that was when the drain broke which forced his other hand to let go and he screamed as he felt himself fall but Luke grabbed tight hold of him with both of his hands. "Ashton give me your other hand!" Luke said, quickly and desperately as he felt Ashton slipping out of his grip.

Quickly, Ashton threw his other hand up and Luke grabbed it with his other hand and he began to pull him back up. He got him back onto the roof and held him tightly, in relief. Ashton was breathing heavily and shaking as he genuinely thought he was going to die right there and then.

"You're alright, you're okay. Oh my, God." Luke said, relieved and kissing the side of his head.

"I thought I was gonna die. Oh my, God, I honestly thought I'd met my end." Ashton said, clearly shaking.

Luke shook his head "Not on my watch."

They pulled away from the hug and walked to the edge of the roof, looking over to see Maxwell right at the bottom, laid on the floor – dead. You couldn't survive a fall that big. "At least you didn't throw him over on that side. Otherwise he'd have had the warehouse roof and all the stacks in there to break his fall, and there's a chance he'd still be alive." Ashton said.

"Not unless he missed the stacks," Luke said, smiling at his as though he was proud of killing Maxwell, which made Ashton laugh a little "well, one down. Two to go. Let's go." He said, motioning him for them to go back inside.

They would break the door down to get back inside or use their wrist-epoch's to transport themselves back inside as Isaac had locked it the moment they stepped foot onto the roof.

 _Two Minutes and Fifty Seconds_

Brad was pacing back and forth on the plane as he watched the warhead count down and it was getting closer and closer to zero – and nobody had made an appearance to help disarm it which was becoming unnerving.

He got his walkie-talkie "What's going on? Why's there nobody here to help?" Brad asked.

"I sent Caspar to go find Luke, Ashton or Joe." Ross replied through his walkie-talkie.

"Why is he taking so long?!"

"I don't know! He'll be there with one of them shortly I promise."

Brad breathed deeply and shakily, wiping his face with his hands.

 _Two Minutes and Thirty Seconds_

Luke and Ashton had finally got themselves off the roof after attempting to break the door down together with it being locked by Isaac – after a couple go's they got it down. Well, Luke got it down. He wouldn't let Ashton for obvious reasons.

Now, they were back in the main building of the base.

"What do we do now? Do we look for the others to see if they've found Priscilla, Harvey, Mariah and Isaac or do we go look for the four of them ourselves?" Ashton asked.

"I say we just wonder around and whoever we find, we find. Whether it be Priscilla, Harvey, Mariah and Isaac or Brad, Ross, Rocky etc." Luke said.

"Alright. But quick question. When you went to the future, what did you see?"

"Erm… I died. Today. All because Maxwell lived – but now he's dead so we've avoided that." Luke said, being a little reluctant at first to tell him.

"Are you sure?" Ashton questioned "'Cause… you've seemed very – I don't know if this is the right word – protective since you've got back. Are you sure it wasn't me who died?"

"No. I swear on my life it was me who had died – you were also dead, but you didn't die today. You died a few months after."

"Why?"

"We didn't save the world – let's just leave it at that, alright? But now we're going to. There's no doubt about it. What did you see when you got sent to the future?"

Ashton stayed silent, not being sure on if he should tell him the truth or not. "I seen a version of the future where we did save the world."

Luke perked up a little "Oh… Did we all live?" Luke asked.

Ashton nodded "Yeah, every single one of us. We were all alive."

"Wow. Even me?" Luke asked, and Ashton nodded "and you?"

Ashton nodded again "Yeah, even me." Ashton lied, not really wanting to but he felt like if he told him the truth he would become even more protective than he already appears to be.

"That's great! Hopefully that version comes true!"

"Well, Maxwell's dead so I don't think that version is – I mean, we are going to save the world, but it'll more than likely be a different version that happens now."

"Why? Was he still alive in that version?" Luke asked.

Ashton nodded "Yeah." He said, lying again.

Luke found it odd that Maxwell was still alive in a version of a future where they saved the world, but he went along with it anyway "Anyway, come on!" Luke said, grabbing his hand and running to go find someone.

 _One Minute and Fifty Seconds_

Caspar bolted through the hallways of the base, shouting and screaming, Luke, Ashton and Joe's name to the point where he would be surprised if his vocal chords didn't snap or if he had a voice left by the time he found one of them.

 _One Minute and Forty Seconds_

Joe was almost at the basement with Dan, Phil, Courtney and Mia.

"By the way, once we're in the basement I don't think we're going to be allowed back out until one of Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke or Ashton comes and gets us so I swear to god you all better have gone to the bathroom, I can't put up with any of you complaining." Dan said.

"I haven't even thought about the toilet since we got here." Courtney said.

"Good. Keep it that way."

Joe sighed "I can't be put in the basement if I'm not gonna be allowed back out. I need air and I get claustrophobic."

"Well you can't go back and help the others, they'll flip their lid on you." Phil said, making Joe sigh heavily.

 _One Minute and Ten Seconds_

"Hello! Caspar?! Ross?! Rocky?!" Luke called, as he and Ashton ran through the Armoury.

"Anybody?! Hello?!" Ashton called, but there was no answer from anybody – nobody was there.

Luke nodded in the direction of the hospital unit and the warehouse.

 _One Minute_

"JOE!" Caspar screamed, at the top of his lungs as he was near to the basement.

Joe stopped walking and turned round as he swore he heard his name being called out, being on the hallway to the entrance of the basement. The door was at the end of the hallway. "What's wrong?" Dan asked.

"I swear I just heard someone call my name." Joe said.

"I didn't hear anything. Did you guys?" Dan asked, looking at Phil, Mia and Courtney. They all shook their heads. Joe furrowed his brow suspiciously and continued to walk with the others, being only metres away from the basement.

And once he was in there, he wasn't coming back out.

 _Fifty Seconds_

"Oh my, God, COME ON!" Brad shouted, stressing more than he ever has done. The door to the room opened and he seen another man stood there. "Who are you?!" He asked.

"The pilot." The man said.

"WHY AREN'T YOU DRIVING THE PLANE?!" Brad asked, shouting as it appeared he now had two problems.

"Auto-pilot. What's going on and who are you?" The pilot asked.

"Brad and the warheads about to blow!"

"What?! How?!" The pilot asked, in panic.

"'Cause some fucking idiot accidentally pressed the button. Do you know how to disarm it?" Brad asked, and the pilot shook his head which made Brad whimper, running his hands through his hair.

He'd met his end.

He'd definitely met his end.

 _Thirty Six Seconds_

"JOE FUCKING SUGG!" Caspar shouted, getting to the basement where he seen the doors opening where Dan, Phil, Courtney, Mia and Joe were, about to enter.

They all turned round and seen Caspar running towards them like a maniac. "Caspar? I thought you were with Ross and Brad!" Joe said.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" Dan asked.

"WARHEAD. ABOUT TO EXPLODE IN THIRTY SIX SECONDS AND I NEED HIM TO DISARM IT," Caspar shouted as he ran towards them, coming to an abrupt stop "have you got a knife on you to cut the wires?" Caspar asked, and Joe shook his head which made Caspar scream.

"Here!" Courtney said, handing him one.

Caspar snatched the knife off her and kissed her head "You're a fucking life saver."

He grabbed hold of Joe and pressed the reverse button on his wrist-epoch which would take them back to the plane Ross was on.

 _Twenty Seconds_

They both appeared on the plane and Ross looked at them both "WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON HERE?!" Ross asked.

Caspar grabbed Joe's wrist that had his wrist-epoch on and started typing in the coordinates for the plane in front where Brad and the warhead were "Hurry up 'cause you only have fiFTEEN SECONDS OH MY GOD!" Caspar gave Joe the pocket knife Courtney gave him and Joe fumbled for the button to transport him to the plane.

 _Ten_

Brad was about to lose it when all of a sudden Joe appeared "WHAT THE HELLS TOOK SO LONG?!" Brad asked.

"SORRY!" Joe shouted.

 _Nine_

"Where's the chamber?" Joe asked.

 _Eight_

"It's there! Do you know the code?" Brad asked, directing him to it.

 _Seven_

"Y-yeah!" Joe ran over and typed it in as fast as he could.

 _Six_

He entered the code and the chamber opened.

 _Five_

He cut the red wire as soon as he seen it.

 _Four_

The warhead wasn't disarming and Joe didn't have time to wait for ten seconds so he cut the blue wire next.

 _Three_

It still didn't disarm so he looked for the black wire which was under the grey wire.

 _Two_

He found the black wire and cut it.

 _One_

Joe and Brad flinched as the detonator hit one but nothing happened, thankfully, which made them both breathe in relief. "Thank the high heavens. I have never feared for my life so many times in such a short space of time." Brad said, finally letting his heart rate go back down to normal.

Joe breathed in relief too, considering he had been dragged into the situation literally twenty seconds ago his heart had almost fell out of his back end.

But at least they disarmed the warhead.

Or so they thought.

 ** _BOOM_**

And that was the end of Joe Sugg, Bradley Simpson, Ross Lynch and Caspar Lee.

Just like that.

 ** _Next:_** _Have A Heart_

* * *

 **Whoops.**

 **I find it nice that I finally found an important role to do for Caspar in this story as - even though he did have some roles - it didn't seem like he was doing anything important if that makes sense?**

 **There are 12 chapters left until the final chapter of the story.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke killing Maxwell?_**

 ** _Did you think Ashton was going to die?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton lying to Luke about what he saw in the future?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the bomb blowing up & killing Joe, Caspar, Ross & Brad?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**

* * *

 **Put "Rad is love, Rad is life" if you've read this far in the authors note :)**


	28. Have A Heart

**So it's 1:15 a.m. in the UK which means it's May 4th. AKA one year since I met the vamps. Holy shit. It's been a year. It's been a year since I met my faves.**

 **It's been a year since James tripped me up & Connor caught me before I hit the floor :))))**

 **Life was kind to me that day.**

 **Haha.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 28  
** _Have A Heart_ **  
**

 **Location: The Warehouse, the H.I.L.L.S. Unit, Escalante Desert, Utah**

Ryan and Landon had hold of Mariah tightly so that she couldn't move. They dragged her around the warehouse, calling out Ashley's name until she made an appearance. "What are we going to do with her now?" Ashley asked.

Ryan dropped his gun out of his hand, grabbing back hold of Mariah quickly, and kicking it towards Ashley. She picked it up from the floor, being confused. "We need to get rid of her like the rest of them, she needs to die." Ryan said.

"She doesn't need to die. Nobody 'needs' to die." Ashley said.

"For the safety of this world she does."

"No, for the safety of this world Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey need to die. She's their grandchild – she's not even born yet, I assume," Ashley said, Ryan gave her a funny look as though she was crazy "think about it, if Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey die, she – as well as Isaac, Abasi and Oakley – won't ever know their grandparents. They won't have ever known what they did apart from that they worked in a base and were killed by some unknown people, that'll be it – or better yet I'm sure Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton can come up with something convincing to let their children know how they 'died'. It won't trigger them to avenge them, will it?"

"She's kinda got a point." Landon said, not wanting any arguments between them over something that could be sorted out so easily. He agreed with Ashley, but then again he also agreed with Ryan – to a certain extent.

"Alright, let me re-phrase…" Ryan said, completely ignoring Landon "this version of her needs to die."

Ashley gave him a look of disbelief and dropped the gun to the floor, kicking it back to him "You do it if you want her dead so badly."

Ryan let go of Mariah, making sure Landon kept tight hold of her, and picked up the gun, having walked closer to Ashley "And there was me thinking you were the balls of the group."

"I am. I just so happen to have a heart as well unlike you."

"Um, I have a heart."

"Are you sure about that?" Ashley asked, raising her brow at him. She walked away and turned her back, waiting for the sound of the gunshot that would tell her Ryan had killed Mariah.

"Wait, why don't we just take her down to the cells and lock her in there until this is all over?" Landon suggested "then she can go back to wherever she came from or Courtney can take her."

Silence took over as the pair thought about it. Ashley turned round "I like that idea better."

"There we are, two against one. Let's go." Landon said, quickly before Ryan could protest against it as he knew that he would rather kill the girl than let her live.

Ryan rolled his eyes and grabbed hold of Mariah again where they both began to take her away.

As they were, Mariah suddenly started to wriggle out of their grip as they were getting closer to the exit of the warehouse. The two boys tried their best to keep hold of her but she slipped out of their grasp. "HEY!" Landon shouted.

Out of panic, Ryan drew his gun and pulled the trigger, shooting her – but it didn't kill her straight away even though he had got her in the stomach with the bullet. "Oh, fuck. Erm… take that wrist thing off her." Ryan said, looking at Landon.

Landon took of Mariah's wrist-epoch so she couldn't escape to get herself healed. "Why did you shoot her?! We agreed on Landon's plan!" Ashley asked, raising her voice.

"I panicked!"

"What are we gonna do? Are we just gonna leave her to bleed to death?"

Ryan shrugged "Yeah, may as well. Bonus for her if the next person that comes into the warehouse finds her and helps her. But it'll be too late by then." He said, where Mariah started laughing through her pain quietly.

"What's so funny?" Landon asked.

"The next person that comes in here… well… actually… never mind… can you drop a message off to Luke for me?" Mariah asked.

"What?"

"When told to do something, he should learn how to do it properly."

Ashley grabbed the gun off Ryan and shot Mariah again, this time getting her in the head and killing her almost instantly. Ryan and Landon turned and looked at her in some sort of disbelief or horror. "'Don't kill her, don't kill her. I have a heart, don't kill her'." Ryan said, mimicking Ashley's voice.

"S-sorry… I just didn't like the way she was speaking about Luke." Ashley said.

"You know she'd have bled to death anyway, right?" Ryan asked.

Ashley shrugged "And? I just sped up the process and put her out of her misery. Come on, let's go!" She said, turning round and leaving the warehouse.

"You are such a hypocrite!" Ryan raised his voice, following her out.

Landon shook his head and followed the pair of them, but he stopped when he heard something creaking.

He turned round and looked up where he seen the chains that were attached and move across the roof – the ones Ashley used to save Landon that time from falling to his death. One of them was loose as one of the screws was starting to come away from where it was screwed in, which was the reason for it creaking. God knows when it would finally give up and break.

"Landon!" Ryan called.

"Coming!" Landon called back, ignoring the chain and going to the others.

Isaac found himself in the technician unit on the hunt for Rydel, Calum and Michael after Rydel had knocked him out. He was in the garage where some of the Wrangler's were - just the ones that were broken or had something wrong with them that needed fixing.

Bailey and Renzo were hidden behind one of the Wrangler's, knowing he was in there lurking around. "What are we gonna do? How are we gonna sneak up on him?" Renzo asked, whispering.

Bailey shrugged, looking around until he seen something on the floor next to him and picked it up. Renzo looked and seen him holding a spanner, which made him roll his eyes "Oh, yeah, what are we gonna do? Spanner him to death?"

"It's quieter than a gun and unexpected." Bailey said.

"Go for it."

Renzo got up and snuck round the Wrangler whilst Bailey jumped out into Isaac's path so he could see him with the spanner in his hand. Isaac rolled his eyes "Oh, I see. You jump out in front so I don't notice Renzo coming behind me. That old trick."

He turned round where Renzo was in fact stood behind him but with no weapon or anything – he just shrugged at him before Isaac felt something heavy hit him round the head, sending him to the floor. Bailey had hit him with the spanner.

Isaac was on the floor, almost unconscious due to the harsh collision his head just had with the metal. Renzo kicked him in the face in the hope it would finish the job and knock him clean out, but it didn't so Bailey hitting him again with the spanner which sent Isaac out like a light.

"I feel like we just jumped someone in an alley." Bailey said.

Renzo shrugged "Better here where it's pretty much legal."

Bailey dropped the spanner and he and Renzo got Isaac up off the floor, deciding to take him to one of Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke or Ashton to decide what to do with him.

"Come ooooonnnn!" Ellington shouted, standing at the door of the cell.

Him and Riker had been locked in the cells for ages and ever since they had been not one single person had come by or down. "Just leave it, someone will come eventually." Riker said, who was sat down on the floor.

"How do you know?"

"They can't exactly let us starve or die of thirst can they?"

"You don't know that!"

"Hello?" A voice called, echoing.

"HELLO?!" Ellington shouted, going back to the bars.

"Who's there?" The voice asked, getting closer.

"Ellington!"

"You're saying that as if the person knows you." Riker said.

"Ellington?! What are you doing here?!" The voice asked, where now Riker and Ellington could hear the person running. The person finally made an appearance and the two boys seen it was Rocky "I thought we left you behind!"

"Yeah you did and it got us caught by whoever those guys were that were after you and your friends!" Riker said, getting up from the floor and livid "how long did it take you to get back here?! Especially this fast when you didn't have a car."

"In my world, ten months. In yours… about five minutes." Rocky said, making the boys confused and not being sure what he meant by that.

"Can you let us out?" Ellington asked.

"I don't have a key."

"Well, well, well… I never expected to see you down here." Harvey said, a short distance away from the three boys.

Rocky turned his head and looked at him. "Who is it?" Riker asked, not being able to see due to him being behind bars.

Rocky smiled "Hi… Don't suppose you have a key?"

"Why? So I can lock you up?" Harvey asked.

"Yeah. I'm willing to let you – I kinda messed up the plan we had so now everyone's wanting to lynch me – no pun intended – so… I kinda need to hide from them or get to a place where they can't get me."

"Funny that, last time I seen Ross, Brad and Caspar… They were in the Hangar, going to stop a plane that had a warhead on ready to blow. Little did they know that warhead was never going to disarm – it'll have blown up by now. And they'll be dead." Harvey said, smiling at him.

"What..?" Rocky asked, his face falling a little.

Harvey nodded "Yup. That's right. I lead your friends into a trap. That's three dead, and ten to go."

"Ten? Shouldn't it be eleven?" Rocky asked, where the key on Harvey's belt caught his attention.

"I knew they'd catch up with the plane and manage to get onto it – and once the three realised they had no idea how to disarm a warhead, I knew for a fine fact one of them would return back here with a wrist-epoch to get Luke, Ashton or Joe. And they did. So that's four dead."

"Who did they get?" Rocky asked, knowing he should be more upset and angry about this but something inside of him was telling him not to be and to be angry and upset about it later 'cause, as harsh as it sounds, the world being saved was more important. Rocky kept glancing from the key on Harvey's belt and back to Harvey.

"Joe. Awe, isn't that nice? They all died with someone they love – whether if it was friendly, brotherly or romantic. Joe and Caspar, Ross and Brad. Always together, never apart – just like Luke and Ashton, Dan and Phil – alright, the last few years don't count for them but still. Why don't you have anybody, Rocky? Why can't anybody say 'Rocky and _' and know you from being with practically your other half? Why are you so lonely?" Harvey asked.

Rocky shrugged "I don't know, I prefer it that way," He said, staring behind Harvey and raising his brow "yeah, something tells me that maybe Ross, Brad, Joe and Caspar disarmed the warhead…"

"Why's that?"

"'Cause they're literally right behind you."

"WHAT?! NOT POSSIBLE!" Harvey shouted. He turned round, seeing that the four boys he had set up weren't there – Rocky had lied to him which meant he was trying to distract him from something else.

But it was too late for him to do anything as Rocky hit him across the head and kicked him, grabbing the key off his belt and giving it to Riker and Ellington through the gaps in the bars on the cell doors. "I'll fight him off! You two just follow me, alright and I'll get you both to safety!"

Ellington scrambled for the key and unlocked the door, where he and Riker got out and ran with Rocky close behind, watching for Harvey behind them in case he chased them. Rocky was letting them run in front where he would tell them which way to go if Harvey caught up.

Luke and Ashton were in the security unit after searching around for someone but there had been nobody at all. "Where the hell could everyone be? It's not like there's an unlimited amount of places where they can hide." Luke said.

As they walked down the hallway, there was a flash of blue light which almost blinded the pair as they were that close to it – when they looked, after the flash had disappeared, Ross appeared in a sitting position but soon fell flat on the floor because there was obviously nothing for him to sit on. "Ahh! What the fuck?!" Ross raised his voice in confusion, scrambling up from the floor and onto his knees.

"What's wrong?" Ashton asked.

Next, Caspar appeared screaming with his eyes closed. But his scream slowly faded as he opened his eyes, seeing he was in the base with Luke and Ashton stood in front of him and Ross knelt on the floor next to him. "What?!" Caspar asked, his voice high in pitch and obviously confused – which was making Luke and Ashton confused as to why they were confused and had appeared out of nowhere.

"WHY AREN'T WE DEAD?! Not that I'm complaining…" Ross shouted, soon quietening his voice and still being on the floor.

"What do you mean why aren't you dead? What's happened?" Luke asked, getting a little frustrated at how nobody was telling him anything.

"Wait, where's Brad and Joe?" Ross asked, getting up from the floor and looking at Caspar, their eyes widened "No…" He said, realising that they were both more than likely dead.

Another flash of blue light came out from nowhere seconds later with Joe and Brad making an appearance shortly after it – with Brad holding onto the back of Joe's t-shirt, both with their eyes shut tightly and screaming at the top of their lungs in fear.

"BRAD! JOE!" Caspar shouted, to get them to stop screaming.

They stopped screaming and opened their eyes. "What?!" Joe asked.

"Will someone explain what happened?!" Ashton asked, raising his voice.

"There was a plane that set off in the Hangar with a warhead on ready to detonate so me, Caspar and Brad chased it with another plane – we caught up to the plane and Brad used his wrist-epoch to get onto the plane with the warhead on in the hope to take down the pilot and whoever else was on board and fly the plane back to here. But it didn't happen 'cause Brad accidentally set the warhead to detonate 'cause he got knocked to the floor by someone on the plane he killed and as he fell he tried to grab hold of the warhead." Ross explained.

"I didn't try to grab hold of it, my hand hit it as I fell!" Brad protested, as he was seeing the looks he was getting off Luke and Ashton.

"Whatever," Ross cut him off before he could continue "anyway, he started begging for one of you two to come and disarm the warhead—"

"No I never!"

"Yeah you did," Ross said, holding his hand out to make sure he didn't say another word "anyway, back to where I was. After that, I sent Caspar back here with his wrist-epoch to come find one of you two or Joe – whoever he found first – to come back and disarm it, only having seven minutes. He got him back on our plane with like fifteen seconds to spare, Joe transported onto the plane Brad was on and the next we know, we see the plane blow up – bearing in mind the backlash is coming towards us too ready to wipe us out but the then the next thing we know we disappear and are back here. Why aren't you two dead?" Ross asked, turning to Brad and Joe "more importantly, how the hell did we get back here?!"

 _Dan and Phil had the wrist-epoch's and were giving them to everyone as they already had theirs. Dan got to Joe and gave him his, tying it round his wrist. After, they looked at one another and Dan could see the fear/nervousness in Joe's eyes, so he smiled at him a little and nodded as if to say "you'll do fine". Joe gave him an unsure smile back._

 _Someone tapped Joe on his shoulder and he turned round to see Michael. "Hey, can I just look at your wrist-epoch for a second? I need to make sure something's right on it." He said._

 _"Why? Is it broke?" Joe asked, getting even more nervous than he was._

 _Michael shook his head "Oh, no, no, no, don't worry it's fine, I've had to do it with Caspar, Ross and Brad's too so you're not the only one."_

 _"Oh, okay."_

There we go.

Rydel, Michael and Calum and their subtle ways of telling you 'you're life is going to be in danger and you may die, so we're going to save it on the sly without you knowing'.

"It froze on one for about five seconds and then it restarted again and went to zero, and as we heard it rumble, ready to explode, we disappeared too." Joe said.

"These past fifteen minutes have not been good for my heart," Brad said, having a hand on his heart and looking sort of traumatised from the experience. He looked at a door and through the glass on it, he groaned "Nooo! Not again! There's a bomb!"

Everyone looked through the door and seen the bomb. "Rocky and Rydel put it there earlier to blow up this part of the base in case we didn't succeed in getting rid of all the guards. And me and Michael put two up in HQ as well." Luke said.

"I'm sensing that's not needed any more 'cause the guards have disappeared. Maybe you should go disarm it." Ross said.

"Yeah, will do. What about the one in HQ?" Luke asked.

"I think we should leave that one just in case Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey find their way back up there."

"Maxwell's dead. We killed him." Ashton said.

"Oh… Well there's a nice surprise." Brad said, becoming happy instead of scared.

"How did he die?" Caspar asked.

"I gave him a friendly push off the roof." Luke said.

"Lovely."

Joe handed Luke the pocket knife he used to cut the wires on the warhead he disarmed so that he could disarm the bomb in the room. "You two get yourselves back to the basement. Ross, Brad, go look for Priscilla, Harvey, Isaac or Mariah. We'll sort this bomb situation out." Ashton said.

"Alright." Ross said.

The six boys all then split off – Luke and Ashton went in the room where the bomb was to disarm it, Ross and Brad went off to go find Priscilla or Harvey or both and Joe and Caspar made their way back to the basement.

 ** _Next:_** _Take the Bullet_

* * *

 **You can almost feel the tension/action building back up :))) and lets just say... there's 2 climaxes left (climaxes that build up to something happening). The next is in chapter 31 & the one after is 35 or 36 (I can't remember).**

 **There are 11 chapters left until the final chapter of the story.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mariah?_**

 ** _Thoughts on her death?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan & Ashley?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Isaac?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on what he was saying about Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad, Joe, Ross & Caspar still being alive?_**

 ** _Did you think they were permanently dead?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**

* * *

 **p.s. grab the tissues if you are in anyway emotionally attached to any of the characters in the story. (now you can't say I didn't warn you :) )**


	29. Take the Bullet

**Yeah so, scrap the idea of me staying & me continuing writing lol. I'll explain soon in a separate authors note.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 29  
** _Take the Bullet_ **  
**

Luke and Ashton finished disarming the bomb in the security unit and left to try either catch up to Ross and Brad or find Rocky.

Dan sat in the basement with Phil, Mia and Courtney, and pretty much everyone who worked at the base apart from the people who had found a different place to hide for safety in the basement. He was nervous and had been it ever since Caspar took Joe to disarm the warhead. He shook his head, getting up "I've gotta go back up there." Dan said.

"What? Why?" Phil asked.

"I promised Joe I'd make sure he'd stay alive for the sake of his daughter growing up without any parents – and he's up there now."

"No, he's on a plane disarming a bomb but you don't know where that plane is." Courtney said, trying to talk him out of going up so Dan himself was safe.

"It shouldn't have took him that long to. I need to go up there and see if he's back." Dan said, making his way towards the door of the basement.

"Dan!" Phil said, getting up. Dan stopped and faced him. Phil went to go say something in the hope to stop him but he knew fine well that he wasn't, so he shook his head and sighed "Be careful."

"I will." Dan went to the door and someone thankfully unlocked it for him and they let him out, locking it after him.

Calum started moving around and making groaning noises which caught the attention of Samara, Rydel and Michael!Brad. They turned to him and seen that he had woken up, looking confused. "Are you alright?" Rydel asked.

Calum nodded "Y-yeah… I'm fine… How… I thought I was fighting Isaac..?" He asked, being slightly confused.

"You were but you were starting to phase out of existence so we had to carry you to find Ross and Brad, but then a grenade went off so that didn't help matters."

"Wait, so… I'm now created and Brad's carrying me?"

Samara shook her head "No, I'm carrying you 'cause if Brad was he'd either hurt you, himself or have a miscarriage due to all the fighting and stress you're all under."

"Oh, okay. Well… What's going on now?" Calum asked.

"The last we heard, everyone but Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and Caspar had gone to the basement for safety, all that was left was Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah and Isaac. I don't think that'll take long if all five of them are still alive. We're just sat in here now waiting for someone to come tell us it's all over and the worlds safe." Rydel explained.

Calum nodded "Cool. Er… What happened to Abasi, then?"

"I killed him after he made me bounce through time trying to tell me something that you both wouldn't." Michael!Brad said.

Calum glanced at Rydel. "He knows and remembers everything." Rydel said.

"Oh… Sorry…" Calum said.

"Yeah, save that speech, Rydel's already given me it." Michael!Brad said, cutting Calum off before he could continue on.

"How are you feeling?" Calum asked, after a short silence as he didn't really know what to say to him.

"Eh, I'm fine, I guess."

"You guess?" Samara questioned, and he just shrugged.

"What's wrong?" Rydel asked.

"It's just erm… We've managed to dodge everything that we were trying to, to create a whole new future. Everything. Now all it is, is just a matter of waiting for the others to kill Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey."

"Right?" Rydel said, not seeing how there was a problem as Michael!Brad was making out there was by the look on his face.

"Then why do I still look like this? Because the only reason I look like this is because of the events that happened that we've avoided. If we'd have avoided it all, I should look how Brad—well me—looks now, but I don't." He said, being concerned about that.

"You're just a version of yourself that could've happened now, it doesn't mean it's still going to happen. Once Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey die you won't look like that anymore, you may even phase out of existence like me and Rydel – the only difference is we're going to be born soon but you're already born. It just means you get to avoid what you went through the first time this all happened." Calum explained/reassured.

"I hope so." Michael!Brad said, not being entirely convinced.

Ross and Brad were nearing HQ where they seen Priscilla came out of, coming face to face with them – but she was a fair distance away from them. "What should we do?" Ross asked.

"What do you mean?" Brad asked, confused. Wasn't it obvious already? Catch her? Kill her? Take her to the others and decide what to do with her there? One or the other.

"Well, she's a girl."

"And?"

"Isn't it wrong for guys to hit girls?"

"Well… We don't necessarily need to hit her… just maybe… shoot her a few times or grab her."

"Speak louder I don't think I heard you properly." Priscilla said, sarcastically before she turned round and ran off to get away from them both.

"AFTER HER!" Ross shouted, running after her but Brad stayed where he was.

"I'll go this way 'cause that way we'll ambush her when she goes down the stairs!" Brad said, going in the opposite direction.

Joe and Caspar were still making their way down to the basement when they heard a commotion going on as they started to pass the garages. They glanced at each other, wondering what it was and if they should go inside to investigate.

"Joe!" Dan called, coming towards them "you're back! What's up? Why are you here?"

"We were making our way back to the basement but there's noises coming from inside the garages…" Joe said, finding it weird 'cause he's pretty sure nobody came down here to hide.

"What is it?"

"I don't know… Should we go look?"

"I don't know… Should we..?" Caspar asked, being unsure about it and not getting a nice feeling from it what so ever if the three of them were to walk through that door.

"It might be Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke or Ashton struggling and needing help, you never know." Joe said.

The three boys all glanced at each other before they decided to go in and look.

Riker, Ellington and Rocky were running and were coming up to the garages where the Wranglers were kept – Harvey was still chasing them and Rocky was firing his gun at him as he ran, but he kept missing due to him trying to focus on shooting Harvey down and making sure he didn't run into a door or wall.

Rocky stopped running whilst Riker and Ellington continue "Guys! Go in there and find a Wrangler that's petrol tanks full or pretty much full!"

"Got it!" Riker called back, before he and Ellington ran through the door where there was a literal sea of Wranglers.

As Harvey came forwards to punch Rocky, he ducked and punched Harvey and kicked him to the floor. He stood over him and as he was about to pull the trigger to shoot him, Harvey kicked him in the crotch so he bent over and Harvey was able to drag him to the floor easily.

This was when Luke and Ashton got into the hallway to see what was happening.

Harvey got the gun off Rocky and pulled back the hammer – which was when Joe, Caspar and Dan came through another door from where they could hear this commotion.

Joe looked where he seen Luke and Ashton coming towards Rocky to help him and he turned round where Harvey was about to shoot Rocky. "HEY NO!" Joe shouted.

And to everyone, it was though the next part happened in slow motion.

As a natural instinct, Harvey looked up and wound up pointing the gun in the direction the voice came from – having already fired the gun which meant the bullet was heading in the voices direction.

 ** _BANG!_**

It was heading for Joe.

"JOE, NO!" Ashton shouted, about to push him out the way and take the bullet himself at the same time as Dan.

"ASH!" Luke shouted, grabbing him and pulling him back so he didn't.

Caspar outstretched his arms to try and stop Dan, but Dan managed to push Joe out of the way and Dan was the one who wound up getting shot. "DAN!" Caspar shouted.

"NO!" Joe shouted, catching Dan as he fell backwards to the floor.

As Rocky had pretty much gathered what had happened, Harvey was still looking in that direction, so Rocky raised his legs and kicked him in the stomach, making him lurch over. He grabbed his arm and flung him back to the ground, stomping on his wrist so that he let go of the gun and Rocky took it back, staying stood on Harvey's wrist so he couldn't move. "You know what, I'm not going to shoot you dead, I've just thought of a better and more painful way you can die." Rocky said, smiling at him angrily.

"Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan, breathe, stay with us." Joe said, tapping Dan's face as he had him laid on the floor and Caspar pressed his hands on top of the wound so it would help to stop the bleeding.

Dan breathed heavily and quickly, obviously trying to breathe again but it wasn't working very well.

Luke and Ashton went over to them. "Get him up, try and get him to the hospital unit. See if Samara, Rydel, Calum or Michael can help him. They're hiding in Ross' room." Ashton said.

Joe and Caspar tried to move him, but he screamed in pain and kept doing so every time they tried so they just left him to lay on the floor and Caspar returned to keeping his hands over Dan's wound to stop the bleeding.

"Luke! Ashton! Come here and keep hold of him whilst I go get some wire to tie him up with." Rocky said. The pair quickly ran over and grabbed hold of Harvey as best as they could whilst Rocky ran into the garage.

"Rocky! We found a jeep that's petrol tanks full!" Ellington said, from where he and Riker were stood a short distance away.

"Oh, er, what number is it?"

Ellington looked on the bonnet "51."

Rocky looked at the wall where there was a load of keys hanging on it, he looked for the key to that Wrangler and took it down. He ran over to where the two boys were and gave the keys to Riker "Use this to get yourself home and to safety, alright? Don't do anything or go out of the house until one of us comes and sees you. And make sure once you're in LA you hide the Wrangler in your garage or something."

They both nodded. "Alright, good luck." Riker said, getting into the car with Ellington.

"You too. Both of you."

Ellington got into the car and Rocky ran back over to the wall as the engine started up to press the button which opened up the garage door and he waited until the boys had driven the Wrangler out of the garage until he shut it again.

That probably being the last time he would see them. Ever.

After he walked over to the work bench where there was some wire and he took it before going back to where Luke, Ashton, Harvey, Joe, Caspar and Dan were. He got to Luke, Ashton and Harvey and started tying Harvey up in the wire whilst Luke and Ashton held him down.

Joe was on the brink of tears "Come on Dan, you've got to let us move you. Please."

"No it hurts too much." Dan said, through groans of pain.

"But if you don't let us you'll die!" Caspar said, trying to stay calm but it was beginning to fail miserably.

"Better me than him." He said, referring to Joe.

Joe sighed "Why'd you do it? Why didn't you just let the bullet hit me? Why did you have to take it?"

"'Cause… I p-promised you that yo-you would survive this… even if it k-killed me," He said, where Joe shut his eyes as a tear rolled down his face "at least your daughter has a Father that's coming home now."

That was the breaking point for Joe as he slowly began to sob, realising why he took the bullet. Just so his daughter, Jenny, would have a Dad and wouldn't grow up without any parents due to her Mother already being dead. "Take good care of her." Dan said.

"No, Dan, don't do this. What about Phil?!" Joe asked, not wanting him to die hence why his voice was beginning to raise in frustration.

Dan shrugged as best as he could "I love him like a b-brother and everything but… he'll be alright."

"You can't leave him without saying goodbye!"

Dan let out a small laugh "I've already said it," He said, which made Joe furrow his brow "1959."

Dan breathed deeply and Joe could see he was turning pale and his eyes were slowly starting to shut. "What… What about Samara, Dan?" Caspar asked, sounding upset.

Dan opened his eyes again "Fuck, get me to that hospital unit." He said, holding up his arms as best as he could.

Quickly, Joe and Caspar grabbed an arm each and pulled him up from the floor, putting his arms over their shoulders so they were supporting him as he tried to walk, even though by the looks of things they were going to end up dragging him.

Rocky, Luke and Ashton had finished typing up Harvey and they looked over to Joe and Caspar to see them carrying Dan as best as they could, obviously to try and get him to the hospital unit in the hope Rydel, Michael, Calum or Samara could save him before it was too late.

"Let's find Ross and Brad and get rid of this one." Rocky said.

Rocky and Luke kept hold of Harvey as he was tied up whilst Ashton walked to lead the way.

With the plan Rocky had to get rid of Harvey, he would for sure suffer greatly after everything that he had done along with Priscilla and Maxwell. And if they caught Priscilla along the way, she could suffer too.

But little did he know his plan would also make one of his best friends suffer.

 ** _Next:_** _End of the Road_

* * *

 **And Satan strikes again for the 764374673836438th time. And is probs gonna strike a** **764374673836439th time soon. :)**

 **Thanks for reading, don't kill me, much love x**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?  
_**

 ** _Thoughts on Harvey?_**

 ** _Thoughts Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan getting shot?_**

 ** _Do you think he'll survive it/make it to the hospital unit in time?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker & Ellington?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them finally escaping & getting to go back home?_**

 ** _Thoughts on who you thinks going to suffer due to Rocky's plan?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?  
_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	30. End Of the Road

**So. Chapter 30. And the story comes to an end at 39. Shit man. It literally only feels like i was writing The Last Judgement about a month ago.**

 **Also, this chapter is a hell of a lot shorter than I thought it was going to be.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 30  
** _End of the Road_

Ross chased Priscilla in the direction she ran whilst Brad had gone in the other way in the hope they'd ambush and capture her so they didn't have to hurt her.

She ran through some double doors that lead to the stairwell and ran down them. As Ross ran down them after her, he pretty much jumped down them, missing a few steps, which made him gain on her and he became that close to her that he reached out and grabbed her arm which she was using to hold onto the banister of the stairwell.

Priscilla let out a yelp and turned round, slapping him. Ross let out a small scream of pain but grabbed her other arm and wrapped his arms round her tightly so she couldn't move.

That was when Brad came up the stairwell "You caught her!"

"Don't look so surprised! Jesus Christ, she's wriggly!" Ross said, holding onto her as best as she could as she attempted to wriggle out of his grip.

"Priscilla. Priscilla!" Brad raised his voice, until she stopped wriggling and looked at him "It's over. Maxwell's dead and I imagine Harvey's not that far behind. It's done. It's over. You've lost."

Joe and Caspar had carried Dan as fast as they could to get him to the hospital unit. They had finally reached the hospital unit but as they entered, Dan's legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor, taking both Joe and Caspar with him. "Dan, don't you dare give up on us now. We're pretty much here, all we have to do is find the room, Michael, Calum, Rydel and Samara are in." Joe said.

Dan's breathing was the heaviest it had ever been and he laid flat out on the floor, sweating and being pale as though he had no life left in him at all – he was done in. And even though Joe and Caspar didn't want to believe it, just by looking at Dan and the way he was… they could tell that he had met his end and it was the end of the road for him.

Dan shook his head "No, guys… this… this is it… I can't…" Dan said, weakly and breathlessly "just… leave me…" He said, with his eyes half shut.

Joe and Caspar looked at each other as they were unsure as to whether or not they should grant him this wish.

"After all this… I… I didn't think a bullet would… be the end of me," Dan said, letting out a small laugh but gasping for breath and in pain at the same time "but hey-ho… there's only so many times you can… risk your own life before… you… you run out of… times."

"Can't you at least try and make it to the room for Samara and Phil? Or one of them?" Caspar asked, trying to bribe him into ways of getting up and letting himself having a chance of surviving – even though it was obvious he had now ran out of chances.

"I want t-to but… the pain… I can't… It's unbearable…" Dan breathed deeply to catch his breath one last time "just… watch out for Phil a-and look af-after… S-Samara… She ha-has a habit of g-getting hers-self in-into… tr-trouble… don't… don't know if you've n-noticed…"

Joe and Caspar laughed softly. "We will, don't worry." Joe said.

"And also… tell the o-others… i-if they d-d-don't… save the world… I will haunt their ass so b-bad… they'll need a priest." He said, again making the other two boys laugh. And Dan was happy that the last thing he got to see was Joe and Caspar smiling/laughing instead of being sad and crying – even though they were sad and there were tears stinging at their eyes or there were tears streaming down their cheeks slowly. But Dan liked to think that because they were laughing and smiling at what he had just said they were happy.

Dan smiled contently at them before it faded and his eyes shut.

Caspar frowned, fighting back his tears, and Joe began to shake as he could feel the sobs beginning to wrack his body.

The boys didn't have to check his pulse to know that Dan Howell had passed.

Ross and Brad were searching for Luke, Ashton and Rocky with Priscilla, having hold of her but she was now handcuffed as they had found a pair of handcuffs on the dead body of a guard's belt. As they were walking, the three came into their path with Harvey tied up in wire. "Hey, fancy seeing you two here, you caught her?" Ashton said, as they all approached one another.

"No she willingly put herself into these handcuffs." Brad said, sarcastically.

"Where did you catch him?" Ross asked.

"In the technician unit before I helped Riker and Ellington escape and go home in a Wrangler, they got caught in the woods and got brought here, and after he shot Dan." Rocky said.

"What? Is he alright?"

"He should be if Joe and Caspar get him to Rydel, Michael, Calum and Samara in time."

"Right, so… Maxwell's gone and dead, yeah?" Brad asked.

Luke nodded "Yeah. Now all we have to do is deal with these two. This is pretty much it. It's done. It's over."

"Well, what are we gonna do with them?" Ross asked.

"Rocky has a pretty grim idea." Ashton said.

"You know the two bombs Luke and Michael have set to go off in HQ within about fifteen or so minutes?" Rocky asked, Ross and Brad nodded "lock them in there with the bombs as it goes off. It'll kill them both slowly and painfully. If they live through it, I doubt they'll be recognisable as a person or better yet, be mentally and physically alright." Rocky explained.

"I'm down for that." Ross said.

"Alright then, let's go." Rocky said, smiling satisfied.

When the five boys got up to HQ, Ross and Brad undid Priscilla's handcuff – handcuffing one end to a radiator and the other to her hand so that she couldn't move whilst Luke, Ashton and Rocky tied Harvey to a chair with the wire he was in.

Rocky waved at the pair of them as the boys left HQ "Farewell friends, and I'll see you in hell." Rocky said, shutting the door behind him as they exited the area.

The boys all ran from HQ before them bomb would go off, even though they had plenty of time to get away.

Brad breathed deeply "Well, I'm glad that's over with." He said, as the five of them came to a halt in the hallway on the floor below HQ.

"Same." Rocky said.

"Wait. Hold on, that's it. It's over with." Ross said, slowly becoming relieved and happy.

"Yeah, and?" Ashton questioned.

"No more Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey… No more grandchildren – that's if Bailey, Renzo, Ryan, Ashley and Landon have got and killed Mariah and Isaac – and more importantly… no more warheads. We did it. We saved everyone." He said, laughing in relief.

Luke took a deep breath of relief "Well, thank god for that. I thought it was never going to end." He said, wiping his face.

Ross sighed happily "I am so happy right now." He said, smiling – the others were happy too, but they weren't showing it as much due to the fact that they were tired.

"Wait, who killed Maxwell if he's dead?" Rocky asked.

"I did." Luke said.

"Really?" Ross asked, Luke nodded "oh, you fucking hero." Ross said, grabbing Luke by his face and pulling him in where he kissed him on the lips. He pulled away and Luke wiped his mouth, feeling uncomfortable after that and slightly disgusted.

Ross walked over to Ashton "Thank you for helping him." He said, grabbing his face and kissing him on the head.

He turned to Rocky.

"It's called incest, illegal and a one-way ticket to a punch." Rocky said, just in case Ross thought about kissing him too seen as though he seemed to be on a roll.

Instead, Ross patted his shoulder "Thank you." He said, before turning to Brad.

"Don't even think about it." Brad said, stopping him before he even got close enough to touch him.

"Alright… Let's just wait here for a while until HQ blows up before we go find everyone else and then celebrate. But you're staying away from me." Luke said, pointing at Ross.

Bailey and Renzo were dragging Isaac's unconscious body around as they were trying to find everyone else before he woke up – even though with the collision he had with the spanner round his head, he may not wake up for a while long. "Has everyone just disappeared off the face of the Earth?" Renzo asked, loosening his grip on Isaac which made him drop him.

"Renzo!" Bailey screeched, almost going to the floor with him.

Renzo grabbed hold of him and Isaac started moving – as a signal that he was waking up. "Oh, shit, no! Come on!" Renzo said, where he and Bailey picked up their pace as fast as they could whilst carrying Isaac.

 ** _Next:_** _Die With Me_

* * *

 **I feel like Ross, Rocky, Luke, Ashton and Brad have all gone back to their normal characters & who they were before all this happened now - I don't know about you guys.**

 **As if though. Everything's pretty much wrapping up now.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **There are 9 chapters left until the final chapter of the story.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan dying?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky's plan to get rid of Harvey & Priscilla?_**

 ** _Thoughts on them finally saving the world/everyone & it all being over with?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Isaac?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	31. Die With Me

**Love you guys :)))))**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 31  
** _Die With Me_ **  
**

Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton were waiting for the bomb to explode in HQ before they went off to tell everyone it was safe and they could come out of hiding, just in case on the off chance Priscilla or Harvey or both escaped or if everyone came out whilst the bomb was still counting down and they wound up in HQ not knowing – 'cause then the wrong people would die along with the right people. The boys themselves were a fair distance away from HQ so they were safe and the most they would feel or get from it would be the backlash/vibrations from it.

Luke sat down on the floor, leaning against the wall "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to sit down like this. And you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight."

Rocky groaned "Oh man that means I have to go back to sharing a room with you both."

Ashton raised his brow "Excuse me, you wanted us to share your room with you on the last night in 1969 'cause you were scared it was going to be the last time."

"Yeah, well, it obviously wasn't."

"You say that as if you were hoping it was." Brad said.

"No, I didn't mean it like that!" Rocky said, making Luke shake his head and Ashton laugh a little.

"Should we go check with Ryan, Bailey, Renzo, Ashley and Landon to make sure Mariah, Abasi and Isaac are dead or at least captured?" Ashton asked.

"Abasi's dead. Michael killed him, but it wouldn't hurt to try see if Mariah and Isaac are." Ross said.

"Ah, speaking of one of the devils." Brad said, seeing Renzo and Bailey coming with Isaac knocked out in their arms.

"Is he dead?" Rocky asked.

Renzo shook his head "No, Bailey hit him round the head with a spanner and knocked him out – but he's about to wake up!"

Brad took Isaac from them both and kept tight hold of him so he couldn't move or try to escape when he does eventually wake up. "What should we do with him? We don't have anything to kill him with otherwise he would've been dead." Bailey said.

"Why don't we put him with Priscilla and Harvey?" Ross asked.

"Will we have time to?" Brad asked.

Luke checked the time on his watch "We should do," he stayed silent for a short while, staring at his watch, not knowing if he should be concerned or confused or both "well that's funny."

"What?" Rocky asked.

"Either the bombs haven't gone off or they have and they were very silent."

"What do you mean?" Brad asked.

"They should have went off by now. Two minutes ago if we're being exact."

This made the five boys confused, as well as worried, until they heard a smirk which was coming from Isaac. "Considering you've just woke up, I doubt you should be finding anything funny." Brad said.

"I've been awake for a while." Isaac said, his voice croaky and he looked deranged.

"If you were awake why didn't you do anything to me and Bailey whilst we were dragging you up here?" Renzo asked, confused.

"Because I knew this would happen."

"What? That you're going to die?" Ashton asked, not seriously, but in a way that implied Isaac was stupid slash a nut job – even though he was, it was obvious and didn't really need implying.

"Yeah…"

"Why haven't the bombs gone off?" Rocky asked, assuming he knew the reason seen as though he knew this was going to happen.

"Before Mariah was killed by your little friends, Ashley, Ryan and Landon – don't know if you knew that already, I found her dead in the warehouse – she found both the bombs up in HQ. The one on the boiler and the one in one of the offices. So… She made them so that they would freeze. Don't worry, the bombs will go off but they have to be unfrozen and unfortunately the person who unfreezes them will be joining myself, Priscilla and Harvey in the afterlife 'cause one of them is stuck on five seconds whilst the other is stuck on one minute. Once one blows up, it'll trigger the other to go off no matter which one of you unfreeze first."

"Well it's simple isn't it. You can unfreeze them." Rocky said.

Isaac laughed "Do you really trust me to unfreeze a bomb that's going to kill me?"

Nobody responded as they knew that was true. You wouldn't send someone to set something off that they know fine well is going to kill them when they don't want to or have no intention to die.

So that meant Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke or Ashton were going to have to do it and die along with him, Priscilla and Harvey – but they also knew that as soon as one of them volunteered there would be arguments.

"Well it's even simpler," Brad said, making everyone look at him "if one bomb goes off and it's going to trigger the other one to go off… Unfreeze the one that's frozen on a minute, leave Isaac in there and get out – once that blows up, it'll trigger the one to blow that's set to detonate in five seconds." He explained.

Isaac's face fell as that thought never even crossed his mind, even though it was Mariah who froze the bombs on them numbers. Rocky laughed at him "Aw bless, you didn't think of that did you? You really aren't that smart."

Brad nudged him in the direction of HQ "Come on then." He said, beginning to take him.

"Wait, are you sure you know how to unfreeze a bomb? Do you want me or Luke to do it instead?" Ashton asked.

"I'll be fine." He said, leaving with Isaac and taking him up to HQ.

"You know, I'm surprised they all actually got this far." Luke said, thinking about Mariah, Isaac, Abasi and Oakley's conjoined stupidity, questioning everyone's intelligence and just how far everyone they were trying to kill would go to protect and for the people they loved – taking Luke himself killing Oakley for almost and attempting to kill Brad and Ashton as an example.

He never thought Luke would do that did he? He thought that he would be mad and upset.

Ross scoffed "Giving the circumstances and the things we've all got ourselves into these last few years – I'm surprised _we've_ got this far."

Brad got up to HQ, still having hold of Isaac tightly. He went to the boiler seeing that the bomb attached to that was frozen on five seconds so he went into the office seeing the bomb in there was frozen on a minute.

Brad kicked Isaac in the back of the legs where he crumpled to the floor, and because of how hard he got hit in the head with the spanner he stayed there, trying to find the strength to get back up but he couldn't. Brad went to the bomb and fiddled with it for a moment before it started counting down again to zero.

 _60_

He began to leave the office, giving Isaac one last glance "Enjoy hell, I'm sure Satan will give you a nice warm welcome." Brad said, leaving the room.

 _56_

Suddenly, Isaac found what little strength he had left and jumped up from the ground, pouncing on Brad – who didn't expect it – and he flew straight to the floor, with Priscilla watching from where she was handcuffed to the radiator.

 _52_

Brad turned round from the floor and pushed Isaac off him, punching him in the face before jumping up off the floor, and as he went to run, Isaac grabbed his leg so he fell back over.

 _48_

Brad kicked him in the face whilst Priscilla was looking around where she seen a lump of wood in front of her from a broken door or chair. She stretched out her arm and grabbed hold of it, looking over to Brad and Isaac.

"Brad!"

Brad looked over at her where she threw the lump of wood at him to catch. "Use it for god sake, you don't have time." She said.

Brad was confused at why all of a sudden she was starting to help him – and if she was helping him, she was helping the others too which was even more confusing – which took him off guard and he was tackled to the floor by Isaac.

 _39_

Brad whacked him with the wood. "Stop fighting back!" Isaac said, making Brad scoff "I'm not doing this on my own! You die with me!"

"Not gonna happen sunshine!" Brad said, pushing him off him and hitting him with the piece of wood again.

"Yes you do! You know you do. You got told – or did Rydel, Calum and yourself not tell you that when you were in 2037?" Isaac asked.

 _29_

 _"What about me? What happened to me?" Brad asked, where everything fell silent._

 _Rydel and Calum glanced at each other and then looked at Brad "You died." Rydel said._

 _"How?"_

 _"Explosion."_

"They may have told you that you'll avoid all your deaths if you save the world but unfortunately… there's no avoiding yours. It's always going to happen because it has to happen."

Brad shook his head "No man, no it doesn't. Time can be re-written."

"Well you're running out of it. Fast."

"Why does it have to happen?" Brad asked, after a short silence.

"You'll see when you're nothing more but a ghost haunting this place."

 ** _BANG!_**

 _14_

Brad looked, seeing Priscilla aiming a gun she had in her pocket – she had fired it and shot Isaac who collapsed to the floor bleeding. "You don't have time to question me – just know that you and your friends were always smart and right about everything and that I deserve this. If I could have realised this sooner it would have been great. NOW GO!"

Brad turned round and ran as fast as he could for the exit to HQ.

 _5_

"Brad's taking a while." Ashton said, looking in the direction he had gone, becoming worried.

 _4_

Brad got to the end of the hallway in HQ and could see the exit in his sight, so bolted like lightning towards it.

 _3_

"It takes a little while to get down from there, he'll probably be here in a second." Rocky said.

 _2_

Brad was almost at the exit, it was literally a few steps out of his reach.

 _1_

Ross paced, getting anxious himself "I don't know guys, I think we sh—"

 ** _BOOM_**

The force of the explosion from the bomb detonating vibrated the entire hallway they were on, making the four boys, Renzo and Bailey lose their balance a little and having to duck due to dust falling from the ceiling.

Ashley, Landon and Ryan were hiding in the Armoury and the vibrations made some things fall off the shelves, as well as scaring the three of them as they had no idea what it was coming from. "What the hell is that?!" Ashley asked.

Phil, Mia and Courtney looked up at the basement roof when they heard something explode and they felt the backlash from it – meaning it was HQ finally blowing up with Priscilla and Harvey in it.

But why hadn't anybody come back to tell them it was all over?

Courtney's face fell "No…" She said, realising what had possibly happened.

Calum almost fell off the bed in the hospital room as it shook from the backlash of the explosion, Michael!Brad got hit in the head by something falling off the shelf and Rydel and Samara stay covered on the floor. Which was when Rydel and Michael!Brad looked at each other in worry.

Riker slammed the breaks on the Wrangler where he and Ellington jumped out the car, seeing the fire and the smoke rise up from one part of the base – making the boys think that maybe they had stopped Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey but died in action doing so.

Alex, Kyle and Nate were hidden in the vaults with the warheads and they felt the metal of the floor and railings vibrate, making them jump.

Joe and Caspar were almost back at the basement when they turned round, looking up as they heard the explosion and feeling a little bit of the backlash.

The vibrations/backlash from the explosion had finally stopped where Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton regained their balance. They all looked at each other – immediately thinking the same thing before they all took off to get to HQ, even though the place would be heavily on fire and smoky.

"Ross, earlier did you say you were talking to Brad through a walkie-talkie on the plane?" Rocky asked, as he, Ross, Luke and Ashton were running for their lives to HQ.

Ross nodded "Yeah."

"Do you still have it?"

"No 'cause I can't fucking drive a plane and speak through a walkie-talkie at the same time! Caspar has it!" Ross raised his voice at him, clearly frustrated.

Rocky sighed in frustration as he was hoping he did so they could hope Brad still had his and thet could use it to see if he was okay – and more importantly, still alive.

They got to the stairs that lead up to HQ where it was pouring with smoke, they didn't think twice before going up where they started coughing due to the smoke and they could see that before they even entered HQ, it was on fire. The boys couldn't withstand the amount of smoke there was pouring down the stairs as they climbed up and got closer, which forced them all back downstairs to where they started. They coughed until they had their breaths back.

"Fuck sake, we can't even go in!" Ashton said, in frustration and being panicked and upset.

"Take off your jacket." Rocky said, looking at Ross.

"Why?" Ross asked.

"Well I'm not wearing one otherwise I'd use mine. Now give me it."

Ross handed him his jacket and Rocky took it from him and covered his nose and mouth with it, tying the arms together at the back of his head tightly so he couldn't breathe in anything. "Rocky, what are you doing?" Luke asked.

"I'm going to go save him, what do you think I'm going to do?" Rocky asked, as though Luke was stupid and a quarter of the way up the stairs.

"Not on your own you're not!" Luke protested "you're not a fucking firefighter!"

Rocky shrugged "First time for everything."

"No, I'm coming with you." Luke said, taking off his jacket and putting it round his face the same as Rocky had. He looked at Ashton who looked weary of him also going up there with Rocky. Luke kissed him "Don't worry, I'll bring him back."

"What if he's dead?" Ashton asked.

"Then I'll go back in time and save the little fucker – trust me, he's not dead. He's alive." He said, finishing tying his jacket round his nose and mouth and he went up the stairs, following Rocky.

"How do you know that?" Ashton asked.

"I just do, trust me. That's something you should surely understand."

"Be careful. Both of you. And get him out of there for god sake." Ross said, being almost as worried as Ashton was.

Rocky and Luke rushed up the stairs and got to the entrance of HQ.

They were in no way prepared risking their lives for this.

 ** _Next:_** _It Comes In Three's_

* * *

 **And Satan strikes for the second to last time :) :) :) :)**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?  
_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Isaac?_**

 ** _Thoughts on what Mariah did to the bombs before she died?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Priscilla?_**

 ** _At what point in the story do you think she turned good?_**

 ** _Do you think Brad's still alive & got out in time?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky & Luke risking their lives to go in there & save him if he's still there?_**

 ** _Do you think they'll get out of there alive?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment? (If there was one)_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	32. It Comes In Three's

**The last chapter of ARC 4.**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 32  
** _It Comes In Three's_ **  
**

Rocky and Luke kicked/pushed at the door of HQ until it came open, where smoke poured out and the entirety of HQ was on fire and destroyed from the bomb explosion and the flames. They walked in, trying to avoid the flames and calling out Brad's name.

"There, look!" Rocky said, pointing to where they seen someone laid in the floor with bits of ceiling on top of them as the roof above had collapsed onto them.

Rocky and Luke carefully, but quickly, rushed over – and the heat and smoke from the fire was starting to become too much for the pair of them. They pushed the bits of ceiling off the body and Rocky hissed in pain as the debris was hot. Rocky shook the body to wake the person up whilst Luke knelt down next to them to look at their face but he gasped and felt his heart skip a beat when he seen the state of the persons face.

Their face was burnt and bloodied so bad that Luke couldn't even tell if it was Brad or not, and other parts of their skin that was exposed were almost as bad. Their eyes started twitching, opening every now and then.

"Brad… Is that you..?" Luke asked, hoping it was but at the same time, he was hoping it wasn't. He was hoping the body was Brad 'cause that meant that he was alive, but the reason he hoped not was because that meant he would be in unimaginable pain and Luke didn't want him to be feeling that.

He groaned painfully and whimpered too, and he whimpered/groaned even more when a tear fell down his face as it stung the burn "L-L-Luke… It h-h-hur… hurts… I'm-I'm—" Brad said, but being cut off as he started coughing which made the pain even worse.

It was Brad.

Oh no.

"Shh, it's alright, we're gonna help you," Luke said, trying to be as comforting as he could "oh, fuck, this is bad, this is really fucking bad." He said, being on the verge of tears and panicking as he didn't know how to help Brad 'cause no matter where he touched he was going to hurt him.

They heard a creak and a loud thud which sounded unhealthy – almost like something was about to collapse.

"Luke come on, we need to get him out of here!" Rocky said.

Brad whimpered harder in pain as it was getting too much for him which was making Luke dread picking him up even more than he was. Luke touched his arm and he cried out "Brad, baby, come on, you're gonna have to bare this. Please," Luke said "on the count of three, aright? 1. 2… 3."

Luke quickly rolled Brad over who screamed out in pain, to the point where it actually hurt Rocky and Luke's eardrum a little, which made Rocky feel bad. "Oh, fuck!" Rocky raised his voice in horror, finally seeing the way Brad looked. He no longer looked like Brad anymore, he was unrecognisable as a person due to how bad he'd been burnt.

Luke then picked him up bridal style which made Brad scream even more and begin to sob. "Right, come on!" Luke said, as he and Rocky made a break for the door.

But the ceiling in front of the door collapsed, blocking the way and setting on fire.

"Oh, that would happen now wouldn't it. How are we going to get out now?!" Rocky asked, in frustration.

Luke looked around for an alternate way out but he couldn't see one, which was when he noticed Rocky still had his wrist-epoch on "Use your wrist-epoch! Just transport us out of here and to the other side of that door!"

Rocky looked at his wrist-epoch and tried to look through the thick smoke as he tried to type into it. Once he had he grabbed hold of Luke and pressed the button, making them disappear and reappear at the other side of the door where they were safe.

The boys quickly ran downstairs where Ross and Ashton were stood waiting. "Oh my, God, you got him!" Ashton said, running over to Luke when he got to the bottom of the stairs.

When Luke got to the bottom of the stairs he collapsed onto the floor with Brad, due to the smoke and heat from the fire getting to him. Rocky started coughing and took the jacket off from round his face.

Ashton took Luke's off from round his face so he could breathe in proper air, even though the jacket wasn't much help up in HQ to stop him from breathing in the toxic fumes, which was when Ashton finally seen the state of Brad as he laid in Luke's arms "Oh my fucking, God!" Ashton shouted, kneeling down next to Luke who was practically coughing his lungs up.

Brad's breathing then became heavier, like he was struggling to breathe – his breathing sounded dry and raspy. "Oh, shit! I can't fucking help him, that is beyond what I can do as a doctor!" Ross said, even though he wanted nothing more but to help his best friend.

"We can't leave him!" Luke said.

"I know, I know! Just get him to a room in the hospital unit and I'll go find some doctors in the basement that do know what to do!" Ross said, taking off as fast as he could.

"I think you might wanna go find some people who know how to put out a fire too!" Rocky called to Ross as he ran, in between coughs.

Luke was coughing too, but had to carry Brad. As he went to, Ashton stopped him. "Here, no, I'll carry him." Ashton said, picking him up out of Luke's arms before they both and Rocky rushed as fast as they could to the hospital unit.

Ashton carried Brad to the hospital unit with Rocky and Luke following, who were coughing their lungs up because of the smoke and they were struggling to breathe properly themselves, along with being covered in soot in certain places.

As soon as they entered the hospital unit, Ashton went into the first room he seen. "Rocky, watch out for the doctors when Ross sends them up." Luke said, between coughs. Rocky nodded and stayed in the doorway.

Ashton laid Brad on the bed who was still screaming, groaning and crying. He stroked his hair gently "Shh, it's gonna be okay."

"I-it hurts so—so bad." Brad said, through tears and pain – it being the hardest anyone had seen him cry.

Ashton himself was welling up with tears because of seeing Brad in this much pain and the state he was in – Brad's distress was making Ashton distressed, and then that was more than likely going to make Luke distressed. "I know it hurts but please try to bear with it. Ross has gone to get someone to help." Ashton said.

Brad continued to sob until he started thrashing about because of the pain, which caused him more. "BRAD! STOP!" Ashton shouted, trying to pin hold him down and Luke came over to help.

"It-it hurts s-s-so much… I'd rather be dead…" Brad said.

Ashton could no longer hold back the tears he had been fighting off and he started to let tears fall. Luke put his arm around him, still coughing. "I'm gonna die." Brad said.

"No you're not, you're gonna be fine." Ashton said, trying to comfort him. He kissed his forehead, despite it being bloody, before he turned to Luke, shaking his head "I can't watch him like this…"

Luke wrapped his arms around him and hugged him.

"Hey! In here!" Rocky shouted, which triggered him to cough again.

Luke and Ashton turned to the door where four doctors came through the door and went over to where Brad was on the bed, practically pushing Luke and Ashton out of the way. They started talking but Luke, Ashton and Rocky couldn't understand a thing they were saying.

Rocky coughed "Hey, can we have something to help us breathe. We were in the fire too."

"Yeah, sure. Hold on." A doctor said, leaving the room to go find an oxygen tank/mask.

One of the other doctors turned around to the boys "We need you three to leave so we can get on with this."

"NO! P-please, I wan-want my D-Dad here." Brad said, still through tears and in absolute fear and panic.

"Well, your Dad's not here at the moment and it may take him a while to get here." Another doctor said, as he obviously – and none of them – were aware of the Luke, Ashton and Brad situation.

A third doctor started ushering Luke, Ashton and Rocky out of the room. "NO! D-D-DAD! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME HERE ALONE! DAD!" Brad screamed, in fear, pain and thrashing out again. As he was doing so, the doctors started to restrain him and had got some anaesthetic from the cupboard to knock him out with whilst the three boys were thrown out of the room.

Ashton sighed before he rubbed his face and started sobbing. Luke hugged him "It's alright. He's gonna be fine." Luke said, flinching because he could still hear Brad screaming for himself and Ashton subtly and it was slowly drowning out as he was being forcefully put to sleep.

It was obvious Brad was no longer mentally or emotionally okay.

 _A Few Minutes Earlier_

Ross had got down to the basement and started knocking on the door as loud and as hard as he could. "Hey, HEY! It's Ross! Someone open the door!"

Someone opened up the door and Ross rushed in where the majority of the base workers and guards were, waiting expectantly for him to say something – Joe, Caspar (who had not long been back), Phil, Mia and Courtney were too. "It's safe. Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are gone. They're dead. Everything is fine. You can return to your normal lives now. Everyone," Ross went to go speak again but he was cut off by people cheering and shouting – obviously relieved and happy "ALRIGHT SHUT UP! Now I kinda need help. Preferably from a couple of people who work in the hospital unit that knows how to help someone who's practically dying from third degree burns all over their body… Or just someone who knows how to help someone who's been caught in a fire! I don't know, just someone!" Ross raised his voice, starting to get stressed and panicked as the more time that was wasted the less chance Brad had of surviving.

Ross heard about four or five voices call out. "Great! Now come here and go upstairs to the hospital unit – try and find Luke Hemmings, Ashton Irwin and Rocky Lynch," Ross said, waiting for them to leave the room and they did "right, everyone can go back to normal now! But there's a fire in HQ, so if anybody fancies putting that out, that would be great."

Everyone left the basement and Joe, Caspar, Phil, Mia and Courtney went over to Ross. "Ross, what's wrong? What's happened?" Mia asked.

"Long story short: the bombs in HQ got frozen, Brad unfroze one and he didn't get out in time before it went off and got caught in the explosion. He's fuc—oh, no… I feel sick talking about it. He doesn't even look like a person anymore." Ross said, feeling the urge to be sick.

"Wait, where's Dan? Why didn't he come back with you two? Or didn't you run into him?" Phil asked, finally noticing as Joe and Caspar hadn't been back long.

Joe, Caspar and Ross glanced at each other. "He's… He's dead… Harvey killed him… We tried to save him but we couldn't… By the time we got to where Rydel, Michael, Calum and Samara were… it was too late." Joe said, and Phil's face suddenly turned numb.

"I'm sorry, Phil." Caspar said.

Phil sat back down where he was. Ross shook his head, trying not to cry "I genuinely thought none of us were going to die today, and now two people might be dead."

"Well… You know what they say… It comes in three's. First Will, then Dan and now possibly Brad too… Even if Brad doesn't die, who's gonna make it the third?" Phil asked, emotionlessly and staring out into space.

Courtney nudged him in the arm "Hey, no. Don't listen to him." Courtney said.

Ross nodded and left the basement, soon followed by the rest of them.

It had been over an hour and the base was starting to become full of people walking around and doing their everyday business again. Luke, Ashton and Rocky were sat on the floor of the hospital unit outside the room Brad was in as the four doctors Ross had got from the basement were seeing to Brad and they were waiting for one of them to come out and tell them something.

The three of them were worried about Brad and what they were gonna say – Luke and Ashton were more worried than Rocky, and Ashton appeared to be more worried than Luke who had his arm round him. Rocky and Luke both had oxygen masks and a small tank to help them breathe because of them breathing in the smoke up in HQ when it was on fire. They had stopped using them as much as when they were first given them.

Rocky took his off and put it on the floor next to him before getting up and pacing anxiously.

He looked down at Luke and Ashton – Luke had his arm around Ashton who was leaned into him with his head fit perfectly in his neck. Luke started coughing again and Ashton, coming off Luke's shoulder, got the oxygen mask Luke was given and put it over his mouth/nose as he looked light headed. Luke held onto the mask and put his arm back round Ashton who kissed his head.

Rocky smiled a little, clearly seeing how seeing how in love they were with each other – even though he'd always seen it, but he's never seen it this strong before. He guesses he's always just tried to ignore it as best as he could, and that's more than likely because Rocky himself doesn't have anybody to love like that. Just watching Luke and Ashton now, and throughout the entire situation they had been in since the day they got arrested, he'd witnessed their love at its finest and it was so obvious they were both meant to be together – especially after all they've been through.

Yes, he's made comments in the past and made fun of them, but like he said before. That's because he's bitter about the fact that he has nobody like that – he may come across as though he needs nobody to love or anybody at all, but the truth is he does. He would kill for what Luke and Ashton have together. And he'll never admit that to their faces or to anybody at all.

He would do anything to love, or have, someone the way Luke loves Ashton and the way he would do anything for him – whether if it was anything he asked or protecting him from something. Yeah, it comes across that Luke loves Ashton more than Ashton does Luke but to be honest the love is equal towards one another. It's just Luke's more protective than Ashton himself is – although, if it came down to it, Rocky reckons Ashton could do some serious damage to the person who ever tries to hurt or kill Luke if that day ever comes – and also, Ashton's more vulnerable than Luke is. Or at least he comes across that way due to how kind, caring and lovable he is.

Yes. That's right.

Lovable.

Rocky sees Ashton as lovable.

But not in the way you're all probably thinking, he means in the friendly way as in Ashton will do something, Rocky will say it's annoying and tell him to shut up or go away, but in reality Rocky finds it hilarious and likes it. Basically, he's lovable in a friendly way.

And also a romantic way due to Luke.

And Rocky can see why – in all aspects – as to why Luke loves him so much.

And if the day comes where Rocky finds someone and is in love with them just as much as Luke and Ashton are… then he can honestly say he's proud and the happiest guy alive.

He sighed "Maybe we should go downstairs for a bit and see everyone. It might make you both feel better and take your mind off Brad for a while." Rocky said.

Luke and Ashton looked at each other, and Luke nodded before they both got up off the floor.

 ** _Next:_** _The Final ARC (ARC 5 of 5):_ _Good Job_

* * *

 **I wanted to add a moment in this story towards the end where Brad called Luke or Ashton "Dad" and actually meant it apart from saying it as a joke or sarcastically & I felt like this was one of the perfect moments to do so - I did have another idea where he would do it but that's not happening any more.**

 **Well. This is it. The final arc (in the next chapter) I remember when I was writing the first arc. I can't believe it's all finally drawing to an end now. I'll miss writing these guys & I'll miss this.**

 **Thank you for reading & I'll see you in the next chapter :)**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad, Ashton & Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky at the end?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	33. Good Job

**Here we are. The final arc & only 6 chapters to go until the story is completely finished.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 33  
** _ARC 5 of_ _5 : Good Job_ **  
**

Everyone had finally come out of the basement and some people had gone back to normal and how things used to be before this day and the last few weeks happened, and some were wondering around trying to find people they knew or they had gone back to their rooms to rest after the stress that had been this day. The majority of people were in the canteen – and currently it was where Phil, Joe, Caspar, Samara, Mia, Rydel, Calum and Michael!Brad were.

Ross came into the canteen where people either smiled, waved, said "hello/hey/hi", "thank you", or cheered at him which startled him. After that, he walked over to the others "Hey." Ross said, as he approached them.

"Hey, how's Brad doing?" Mia asked.

Ross shook his head "It's not looking good. The Doctors are trying to help him as we speak, they've been at it for an hour – and I know it's going to take a while to get him looking normal again but… I'm anxious he's not going to live through it." He said, sighing and looking depressed.

Rydel nudged his arm "Don't worry about it, he's a fighter, he'll pull through."

"I hope so," Ross said, wiping his face. He looked over at Samara who wasn't engaged in the conversation, she looked down which only meant one thing. "Have you told her about Dan?" Ross asked.

Joe nodded "Yeah, we're keeping an eye on her."

Ross nodded "Good."

"Well anyway, I better go," Courtney said, making everyone look at her "'cause this almost year is starting to become a blur to me and I can barely remember what my life was like. So congrats. You did it. You saved the world. The future is totally different." She said, smiling at Ross.

"You're welcome."

"But unfortunately that means I gotta go – and… I won't remember a single thing about this when I get back to 2037… I'll wake up wherever I'm living and I guess this will be nothing more but an unclear dream."

"That means we've gotta go too." Calum said, referring to himself, Rydel and Michael!Brad.

"Alright, well… Thank you. We couldn't have done it without you." Ross said.

"Not a problem. Oh by the way, I'd tell Rocky to save Ryan from falling off the roof – just get him to go ask Ryan about it, it's in the past. He can just use a wrist-epoch. Also, the letter Dan found from Brad's adoptive parents… you may wanna get Luke or Ashton to write it and then have one of you drop it off – I'd get Rocky to." Rydel explained/informed.

"Damn, he's going to be a busy person then."

Rydel nodded before laughing and letting it sober up "Goodbye." She said, hugging him.

He hugged back "Hey, it's not goodbye. You're still my future niece, I'm still going to meet you just in baby form this time and not… like this."

Rydel sighed, refraining from telling him that he is actually her Dad and Rocky is actually Calum's "I guess." She said, pulling away.

"Thank you for deciding to have me – it's much appreciated." Calum said.

"How else were we gonna stop you from phasing out of existence?" Ross asked. Calum shrugged before hugging him.

Next, Michael!Brad went over to Ross after Calum pulled away "I know we didn't really talk much through this but… just in case I don't get a chance to tell you… thank you for everything." Michael!Brad said, even though he knew Ross was going to take the 'thank you' for saving the world, he meant it as much more and Ross would never know that until he seen Brad—well, himself— when he wakes up and the doctors have fixed him.

"Ah, no problem. You too." Ross said, giving him a quick hug.

And he took the 'thank you' the way Michael!Brad thought he would take it – not the way he hoped he would have.

"Also, Rydel's right. Don't worry about Brad. He's going to be absolutely fine." Michael!Brad said, after pulling away from the hug.

"How do you know?" Ross asked.

"Just trust me. And… you'll see."

Ross nodded, not being quite sure what to make of that or what it was supposed to mean.

"I just thought I'd let you guys know that the first time this happened is now a parallel world to this one – so you don't have to worry about anything going wrong or _sending anyone to the future_ to ensure this happens. Make sure you tell Luke, Rocky and Ashton that too." Michael!Brad explained.

"I will."

Rydel sighed "Well, goodbye I guess and… thank you. As weird as this is going to sound… It's been fun." She said, making some of them laugh softly.

"If the worlds on the brink of ending again or another apocalypse breaks out I don't wanna see you, okay?" Ross said.

Rydel nodded "Done deal." They both laughed.

"Go on, go."

Calum typed in on his wrist-epoch where each individual needed to be and they all looked at Ross, Joe, Caspar, Phil, Samara and Mia one last time before they disappeared in a flash of blue light – never to be seen again until the future when they were all reborn.

"I hope that flash of blue light is the last one I ever see for a while." Joe said.

Ross laughed a little before seeing Luke, Ashton and Rocky coming into the canteen "I'll be back in a minute," He said, rushing over to the three of them "hey, how is he?" Ross asked.

"They're still working on him. We're gonna go back up soon after we've seen everyone." Luke said.

"Where's Rydel, Calum, Michael and Courtney?" Rocky asked.

"They've left, they had to go. They said thank you." Ross said.

"To be honest, if it wasn't for them and their knowledge would we even be standing here?" Rocky asked, walking away to go see someone and saying "hey" as he approached them.

Samara distanced herself from Phil, Joe, Caspar and Mia – even though Mia had gone to go see some other people. She thought nobody had noticed that she had distanced herself but Caspar had. "I'll be back in a minute." Caspar said, leaving Joe and Phil and going over to her, smiling "Hey!" He leaned on the table next to her as she sat on the edge of one of the canteen tables.

Samara flashed a small smile "Hey."

"What's wrong? Why are you sat here on your own?" Caspar asked, even though he knew she was probably hurting over Dan.

She shrugged "Just upset over Dan – it hasn't fully hit me yet… it will soon though. And it'll hit me worse especially since I'm now pregnant."

Caspar furrowed his brow "What..? Did you and Dan fool around before he died or..?"

Samara let out a small laugh "No – I wish we did, at least I'd have a connection to him still. But, no. Rydel had to make Calum in a dish 'cause he was beginning to phase out of existence and 'cause of Brad having to fight, he couldn't carry him so I offered to – good thing I did after what's happened to him. So… I'm now pregnant with Brad's child."

"Well, Ross and Brad's child."

Samara began to feel awkward and guilty as her and Rocky were the only ones who knew that it was Rocky who was the Father and not Ross "Yeah…"

"Who'd have thought them two would have a child together?" Caspar asked, a little amused by it.

"I'm surprised they never got together to be honest."

"There's still time."

Samara raised her brow "Do you honestly think they're going to get together with the state Brad's going to be in after the doctors have helped him?"

"I don't think Ross is that shallow to judge a person by their scars or how they look – especially not with Brad."

"I'm not talking because of that… Brad's not going to be able to stay here, he's gonna have to go home. Either that or he's going to die."

Caspar stayed silent and sighed, shaking his head suddenly looking annoyed "That is a reason why I hate this place."

Samara stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Couples… People in love… They never get to stay together or be together… They always end up apart somehow – either by choice or by force. It's like a curse that falls upon everyone who falls in love here. Take Joe and Stacey for an example – Stacey's dead. You and Dan never got to be together because he died. And now Ross and Brad aren't going to be able to be together – not that I'm saying they were or were thinking about it in the first place," Caspar said, and then he sighed as he felt like he was about to jinx the only love this 'curse' had seemed to have spared for so long and left alone "and dare I say this – knock on wood and god forbid this from happening – Luke and Ashton… I don't think that's going to last."

Samara frowned a little and then moved uneasily – feeling uncomfortable.

"Now what's wrong?" Caspar asked, noticing but she shook her head and didn't say anything "No there is… I can tell, I'm not stupid. It's not the pregnancy and it's not entirely because of what's happened to Brad and Dan dying… Is it 'cause of what I just said about couples not getting to stay together when they work here?" He asked, thinking he may have unsettled her nerves and scared her a little.

Samara shook her head. Caspar smiled "Then come on! Cheer up, girl! The world is safe at long last, there's nothing to worry about!"

Samara nodded, putting on a fake smile which was too obvious "Yeah… I guess."

Caspar sighed "Seriously, what's wrong? You can tell me."

"I… I don't know… I don't feel sure. Or safe."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Samara sighed, looking round at everyone in the room at how happy they were being and relieved because of the world being safe, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey finally being dead and it was all finally over. She looked back at Caspar:

"I don't think it's over yet."

Caspar stayed silent, suddenly starting to get that feeling too now that she had said it – and to be honest, Caspar had, had that feeling since Ross came to the basement and told them it was over as he never quite believed it, he was just ignoring that feeling as he felt like he was being stupid. But now that Samara feels it too… He doesn't think he is.

This wasn't right.

Whatever it was – no matter how big or small…

It was definitely not over yet.

Phil looked and seen Samara and Caspar. He nudged Joe "I've never seen them talk so much." Phil said.

"Yeah. Dan asked us both to look after her 'cause he said, and I quote, 'she has a habit of getting herself into trouble'." Joe said.

Phil laughed softly "That's such a Dan thing to say about her." He said, then frowning which made Joe sad.

"I'm sorry, Phil. I know I could have tried harder bu—"

"No, don't. It's fine," Phil said, cutting him off from continuing 'cause he honestly didn't want to hear it for the sake of him getting any more upset than he was "even though it seemed like it was… Me and Dan both working here clearly was never meant to be. It's just… I didn't think one of us would have to die for us to finally get the message. I would have much rather of stayed in London with my memory wiped."

Joe didn't say anything, instead he looked over at Rocky, then at where Ross was and then at Luke and Ashton. He turned his head to Phil "Well, in a way it's a good thing you both came here."

"It is?"

Joe nodded "If you didn't… Who would be here saving the world? Ross, Rocky, Brad, Luke and Ashton certainly wouldn't – the world would've been doomed without them. And that's all thanks to you and Dan putting your heads together," He said, and Phil looked at the four boys "that was all you two – even though you weren't here to watch them grow from the boys they first were when they got here into the men they are today. It's been a pretty extraordinary thing to witness, and I'm glad I did."

A short silence fell.

"There's something I don't understand though… Dan said he already said his goodbye to you. I said to him that he hadn't said goodbye to you but then he said he had and it confused me."

Phil furrowed his brow "No, I haven't. The last time I seen him he was going to look for you and Caspar 'cause he was worried. Did he say anything else?"

Joe nodded "Yeah, I asked how and when and then he said 1959."

Phil became even more confused.

"Hey." Ashton said, as he and Luke came over.

"Hey, how are you both?" Phil asked.

"Drained. I wanna sleep." Ashton said, with a tired sigh.

"Don't worry, you'll get to sleep soon." Joe said.

"I hope so."

"How are you two?" Luke asked.

"Relieved it's all over. I never wanna see another warhead, wrist-epoch, gun, knife or forest AGAIN." Joe said, making the three others laugh.

"Well, you work in the Armoury so you're going to have to put up with warheads, knife's and guns for a bit longer."

Joe groaned "Can't I quit working in there and do something else?"

"Do what you want. There's no leaders or bosses any more to be in charge of the place – someone's gonna have to sort one or two out otherwise people will lose control." Ashton said.

A light bulb suddenly went off in Phil's head, but he didn't say anything and kept the idea to himself. "Thank you for all this. You have no idea how grateful we both – well everyone – are." Joe said.

Luke waved it off "It's alright, someone had to do it."

Phil scoffed "You're saying that like it's nothing. You guys are freaking heroes. The Avengers ain't got nothing on you five."

"Alright, that's enough of that. We're going back upstairs to see how Brad's doing. See ya later." Ashton said.

Joe and Phil watched as Luke and Ashton walked off. Joe found himself looking at Ross again and back at Rocky. He smiled "Good job, Phil."

Phil raised his brow in confusion "What are you talking about? I haven't done anything…"

"No, I mean… You and Dan did a good job. With them." Joe said, looking back at the four boys – talking about how because of Dan and Phil coming up with the idea and scenario that Ross, Brad, Rocky, Luke and Ashton had, and then telling Will who decided to develop on it for them and then got the five boys to go along with it and do it.

Even though they had no idea how much of an importance it would be to not only Will, Dan, Phil and their friends. But to the world. They knew that they'd have to risk their lives every now and then and they were willing too – but never did they imagine it would be a risk as big as this. And that was all thanks to the training Dan gave Ashton and Phil gave to Rocky who then went on to train Brad, Ross and Luke.

And as for Dan, he managed to stay by their side throughout those years and was always there for them to lead them in the right direction through thick and thin even though that went unnoticed most of the time – if not, all the time.

Phil smiled, proudly "Yeah, we did…"

Although, proud was an understatement to Phil – and it would be to Dan if he was still here.

Suddenly, something clicked with Phil. "I gotta go, I'll be back in a bit." He said, walking away.

"Where are you going?" Joe asked.

"Just to go see someone."

 ** _Next:_** _Goodbyes_

* * *

 **I don't know why but I got a tad bit emotional writing/re-reading Joe & Phil's talk & I neVER GET EMOTIONAL.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Mia?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Michael!Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Michael!Brad?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky & Samara lying about Ross being the Father of Calum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar's perspective of love/couples who work at the base?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe & Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on what Joe was saying?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	34. Goodbyes

_**Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 34  
** _Goodbyes_ **  
**

Phil trudged through the desert sand in the night, walking towards a wooden hut. He walked up the stairs that creaked and he let himself in, shutting the door behind him. He walked through where there were several doors leading to bedrooms and he walked up to one, knocking on the door "Dan…" Phil whispered.

He was in 1959 – which was what Dan meant when he said that he'd already said goodbye. Obviously Phil went back, like he has now, to 1959 on the night before their last night of them being there before going to save the world to say his last goodbye to Dan before he dies.

And since then Dan has known of his fate but hadn't said anything – but he did hint at Joe on their final night together.

 _Joe breathed deeply as he knew that answer was coming "I don't want to die."_

 _"Nobody does. But unfortunately, a lot of people are going to die tomorrow. And I know you've got a little girl at home, Joe, and you don't want to leave her an orphan – you've got someone to go home to so… I'll do everything I can to make sure you stay alive. Even if it kills me myself."_

The door opened and there stood Past!Dan, looking confused. He looked back into the room, seeing Past!Phil laid in bed asleep and he turned back to Phil who grabbed him by the arm and dragged him outside the hut. "B-but you're asleep in the—you're from the future aren't you?" Past!Dan asked, soon copping on.

"How do you know?" Phil asked.

"I've spent the last eleven months of my life with wrist-epoch's I know one when I see one. Plus… You're wearing the same clothes that you are in there – and they're dirtier. I'm very observant when it comes to time travel."

"No kidding."

Past!Dan nodded. "So what are you here for? Why have you come from the future? Does something go wrong? Are you here to tell me so I can fix it or tell Ross, Rocky, Luke, Brad and Ashton?" Past!Dan asked.

Phil shook his head "No… I've come because… I need to say goodbye to you."

"What? Why?"

"You cannot say anything to anyone, alright? Otherwise it will affect what happens. Just let everything happen as it happens," Phil said, and Past!Dan nodded "we do it. We save the world, we kill Priscilla, Maxwell, Harvey, Mariah, Isaac and Absai."

"Right…" Past!Dan said, not seeing how this was a reason for Phil to be saying goodbye to him.

"But… you die. Harvey kills you," He said, where Dan's face dropped to a kind of fearful look "he goes to shoot Joe but you jump in the way to save him. I wasn't there so I didn't get to say goodbye which is why I'm here. I have to say it."

Past!Dan stayed silent, trying to process how tomorrow would be his last full day of being alive.

"Please don't die thinking you're unimportant 'cause you are. Oh, heck… Everything that you have done ever since I got sent back home with my memory wiped has lead up to tomorrow and even though you don't get to live to see the world saved… It is so worth it. Every single thing that you did with Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton, how you helped, trained and guided them. You saved the world just as much as they did," Phil said, and Past!Dan stayed silent "And thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for always being there for me – you've been the bestest friend I could have asked for… in fact… you've been like the little brother I've never had. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to have had this much of an impact on my life. A-and… I feel like your death is partly my fault 'cause if I hadn't have convinced you to come work at the base you would still be alive."

"And nobody would be trying to save the world—well, nobody will have saved the world." Past!Dan said quickly, trying to argue on how it was a good thing Phil convinced him to come.

"Still—"

"No, look, Phil. It's not your fault I'm going to die – or have died. Especially if you weren't even there. I mean… If you hadn't have come back and got your memory back… I wouldn't have even been warned. I wouldn't have been prepared what so ever. Now I can get myself prepared, can't I?" Past!Dan said, where Phil stayed quiet as he wasn't sure on what else to say – he didn't even know how to say goodbye. "Is Samara alright?" Past!Dan asked.

Phil smiled a little, nodding "She will be. You told Joe and Caspar to look after her but don't worry, I will too. She's also pregnant because Calum started phasing out of existence so Rydel made him in a dish only to find Brad couldn't carry him due to the fighting and that so Samara offered."

"Wow… Then you guys better look after her well otherwise my ass will come back to haunt you."

"Got it."

"Also… I think Joe might be a good guy for her," Past!Dan said, making Phil furrow his brow at what Dan might be trying to imply "well, he's had to go through a pregnancy with Stacey before – he knows what to expect whereas Samara doesn't. He has a daughter so he can help her, even though the child isn't hers or his."

"Ah, yeah, I get you. I thought you were going somewhere else with that there."

Past!Dan laughed. "Seen as though we're spoiling the future here and I'm not going to get to see it… Does anybody else die?"

"Brad's dying. HQ blew up and he was in there. Hopefully he'll pull through and live."

"He will." Past!Dan said, knowing because of Michael being Brad. He figured that one out the moment he first met Michael, Rydel and Calum – whereas nobody else did. This is why Dan is classed as the brains of this whole thing. 'Cause he uses it for the smallest of things.

Besides after the whole Luke, Ashton and Brad situation Dan's learnt to be a bit more observant as that had gone right over his head like everyone else's.

"No, Dan, you don't understand, it's so bad… When Rocky and Luke went in to save him the only way they knew it was him was because of his voice. He's unrecognisable."

"Oh, damn… Well, I better not keep you for longer. I better let you go."

"Yeah… It's been fun." Phil said, and Past!Dan nodded "You know, tomorrow the base has no leaders or anybody in charge at all and we need to find someone or a couple of people that can be." He said, smiling like he had an idea.

Past!Dan raised his brow, immediately knowing Phil had an idea and knew what it had to do with – just like when he came up with the first idea they had ever come up with. He smiled the same way as Phil did "Oh, yeah? Got anybody in mind?"

"I may have a couple."

"Well, I think whoever you've got in mind would be a brilliant idea."

Phil nodded before they both laughed. "Goodbye Dan." Phil said.

"Bye, Phil."

The pair hugged one last time.

Past!Dan pulled away first and Phil stepped back, typing into the wrist-epoch he was wearing. "Have fun." Past!Dan said.

"I will. Good luck for tomorrow."

"You know what happens tomorrow!" He said, making Phil laugh.

Phil pressed the transport button and disappeared – that being the last time he ever saw Dan.

 **Year: 2015**

Luke and Ashton were in the hospital unit still waiting for someone to come out and tell them about Brad, and at long last one of the four doctors came out. The pair got up from the floor when he did. "How is he? Are you able to help him?" Ashton asked.

"We're taking a small break for now 'cause it's going to take some time to help him – it's going alright so far though. But I should let you both know that once we have helped him he's not going to look the same as he did before or be the same either." The Doctor explained.

"What do you mean?" Luke asked.

"There's a high chance that he's going to be mentally and physically unstable because of how harsh the burns were – if he'd have been there any longer or any closer to whatever it was that blew up HQ, he'd have been dead. After this he's not going to be able to stay here anymore, he'll have to go home in order for him to recover properly which may be a long time. Even when he's recovered he might not be able to come back." The Doctor explained, making the two boys completely silent as they didn't know what to say to that.

"Can we go see him?" Ashton asked.

"He's not awake, we're keeping sedated 'cause of the pain he's in when he's awake. You can go see him but… it's not pretty."

Ashton nodded and the doctor left. "What are we gonna do if he can't stay here?" Luke asked.

Ashton sighed "Then I guess he goes home."

Luke gave Ashton a look of protest against that idea. Luke didn't want Brad to go home, especially not back to the UK to his adoptive parents as that was basically sending him back to them and giving Brad the message that Luke and Ashton don't want him when in fact they do.

"Don't worry Luke, I'll take him home." Ashton said, seeing the look upon his face.

Luke shook his head "No, you're taking him home. He'll get the impression that we don't want or care about him anymore."

"How?" Ashton asked, confused.

"Well for starters, sending him back to his adoptive parents in the UK is definitely going to give him that impression. You saw how much he flipped when he first found out that we were his real parents, and he'll probably flip again when he finds out about this."

Ashton shook his head "No… I didn't mean 'home' as in England and back to them… I meant that I'll take him home to Australia."

"Ohhh…" Luke said, seeing how it made sense now at how Ashton wasn't too fussed about Brad having to go home along with feeling like an idiot.

"Yeahhh…"

"How's that gonna work?" Luke asked, now confused. In order for Brad to stay in Australia, someone would have to look after him in order to make sure he recovered properly and that can't happen because Ashton would have to come back to the base after dropping him off where then the pair would only see him on breaks.

Was Ashton really going to allow that?

Surely not, Luke knew Ashton too well and better for doing that to someone who's an invalid and needs looking after – especially with their own son.

"Well, I'll take him back there and I'll look after him myself until he's better." Ashton said.

"What? You'll… You'll leave here with him and not come back?" Luke asked, feeling his heart sink. Yeah, he found it sweet that Ashton would do that but at the same time that meant Luke wouldn't see Ashton at all until he went on breaks.

"No, I will, just when Brad's better," Ashton reassured "but… I'll only come back if Brad comes back."

Luke's face fell a little and his heart sank a little bit further down his chest, if not, all the way to the pit of his stomach. "Oh… Well… I guess I'll stay here then. I'm kinda gonna have to if this is going to work." Luke said, sounding upset.

Ashton felt bad for having to leave Luke behind and not be able to be with him at all until his breaks – which he doesn't get many of, and neither does anybody else – but it was the way it had to be in order for this to work and in order for Brad to get better.

He then hugged Luke and Luke hugged back holding him tighter, burying his head in the crook of his neck.

And with that, Caspar's prediction on Luke and Ashton of how couples, and people who fall in love at the base, can't stay together because they always get separated somehow… Became real and true.

And it was about to get even more real and true.

Ross seen Samara sat by herself in the canteen still so he went over to her, deciding to help cheer her up and take her mind off things. "So, how does it feel to be carrying mine and Brad's baby?" Ross asked.

Immediately the guilt hit Samara. Again. She looked at him "Weird, but I guess I'll get through it."

"Yeah… I might need a little help with looking after him 'cause I don't think Brad's going to be in any fit state or be able to for a long time."

"Are you asking for my help?" Samara asked.

"Well yeah because do you honestly think Rocky will?" Ross asked, making her laugh a little "plus, every kid needs some sort of mother figure if they have two Dad's."

"Alright, I guess I'll help." She said, with a small smile.

"Thank you!" Ross said, hugging her from the side as Rocky came over.

"Hey, Ross, can I talk to you for a second?" A random girl asked, coming over seconds after Rocky.

"Er… Sure…" He said, where the girl grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

"Something tells me he's about to get lucky." Rocky said, watching as he got dragged away.

"Yeah, and maybe if he does Rydel will be the result of it and he'll find out that he's not actually Calum's Dad," Samara sneered, receiving a dirty look from Rocky "are you really going to keep on lying to him? And Brad? Especially in the state he's going to be in."

"Yes. He's obviously going to find out by himself and so is Brad."

"But by the time that comes the damage will have already been done."

Rocky shrugged "I'll fix it. I'll find a way to." He said, which Samara didn't quite believe at all.

Slowly, everyone appeared to be gathering in the canteen. Joe and Caspar were wondering around trying to find somewhere to sit when they saw Phil sat by himself so they decided to join him. "Hey, did you find whoever you were wanting to talk to?" Joe asked, as he sat down opposite him.

"Yeah." Phil said.

"Cool. Who was it if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, nobody in particular. Just someone I haven't seen for a while."

Caspar went to speak when someone came over to the table. "Hey. Can I just say thank you for what you guys did today and have done." The person said.

"Er… Sure… No problem. But we didn't really save the world – it was the other guys." Joe said, feeling a little weird and uncomfortable at how people kept coming up to them all and praising them as though they were Jesus.

"You still had a part to play in it though, you still helped. So thank you!" The person smiled and then walked off.

"Are we going to become popular around here now?" Caspar asked, not being sure if he wanted that or not.

"I hope not." Joe said, definitely not wanting that.

"How was it anyway chasing that plane down?" Phil asked, as he never asked them when they came back.

"It was scary. But I was more stressed trying to find Joe, Luke and Ashton knowing I was on a time limit – I thought I wasn't gonna." Caspar said.

"And I genuinely thought I was dead before we got transported back here." Joe said.

Luke and Ashton came into the canteen where they knew everyone was and as soon as they stepped through the door, some people clapped and cheered at them which made them both jump. "Fuck, my heart." Luke said, putting his hand on his chest as he wasn't expecting it.

"Is this what fame feels like?" Ashton asked, and Luke shrugged before they made their way over to Joe, Caspar and Phil – and when Ross and Rocky saw them both, they went over too.

"Hey. Did you find out anything more about Brad?" Rocky asked.

Ashton nodded "Yeah, the doctors said he's going to be alright but he can't stay here, he has to go home to recover properly."

"Oh…" Ross said, becoming upset about that.

"But I'm gonna take him back to Australia and look after him until he's better."

"What?" Rocky questioned, in some form of shock.

"It's better than sending him back to his adoptive parents 'cause I feel like he'll just get the impression that we don't care when we do." Luke said.

"That's understandable." Phil said.

The group all fell to silence for a short while, finding it weird how Brad or Dan weren't there with them to butt in on the conversation or stood next to them making a comment. Dan wasn't next to Phil for him to turn to and Brad wasn't next to Ross for him to do the same. Their partners in crime weren't there with them and nor would they ever be again.

"Rocky!" Someone called.

Rocky turned round, seeing the person calling him "One minute." He said, going over to the person.

Ross breathed heavily "I wanna sleep so badly, what time is it?" He asked.

"3 in the afternoon." Joe said, looking over at the clock on the wall.

"Wow. All of this has happened in a shorter amount of time than I thought." Ross said, being slightly surprised by that. But hey, he wasn't complaining. It was finally over and he could actually sleep in his own bed after months of being away from it – well, weeks if we're counting everyone else's time.

"Hey, where's Bailey, Renzo, Ryan, Ashley and Landon?" Caspar asked, noticing that they weren't around.

"I'm sure they're here somewhere. I'll go look for them now." Ross said, walking away to go find them.

Ashton breathed deeply and walked away from the table everyone was at. Luke noticed and followed him "Are you alright?" Luke asked, touching his back gently.

Ashton nodded "Yeah, I'm fine. I just… I just feel a bit sick."

"Oh, do you need to go to the bathroom?" Luke asked.

Ashton shook his head "No, I just need some fresh air. I'm gonna go to the roof, I'll be back down in like five or ten minutes."

"Alright." Luke said.

Ashton kissed Luke and held onto his hand until he was no longer in reaching distance of him before leaving to the roof.

Luke smiled contently as he watched Ashton leave the room. He turned round and looked over to Rocky who was talking to a small amount of people including Ashley and Renzo. As Rocky talked to them he noticed Luke watching him from out the corner of his eye.

He excused himself from the conversation he was in and walked over to Luke, giving him a curious yet suspicious look "What's on your mind Hemmings?" Rocky asked, knowing something was up by the way Luke was looking over at him.

Luke shook his head, clearly trying to hide some sort of happy emotion "Nothing, just er…" He said, shrugging nervously until he folded his arms "how are you with best man speeches?"

Rocky looked thoughtful for a moment "Well, I'm not very good at speeches overall but, best man speeches? They're important but all you have to do is make everyone laugh and embarrass the groom as much as you can along with their bride or whoever it is they're marrying," He paused before smiling "so I think a best man's speech just might be my forte."

Silence fell over them both as Rocky furrowed his brow and he became a little confused. "Why are you asking me this?" He asked.

Luke rolled his eyes "Come on man, put the pieces together."

Rocky thought about it for a moment and his face lit up when he realised "Oooohhh… Right… Don't know why I didn't get that sooner."

 ** _Next:_** _Let Him Go / The Rest of My Life_

* * *

 **I had to do a goodbye with Dan & Phil 'cause I felt like you guys needed more closure on Dan cos you didn't really get any when he died. It wasn't good enough closure.**

 **Also I'm still debating on what to call the next chapter - I'm torn between the two names haha.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **There are 5 chapters left until the final chapter.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him going back into the past to say goodbye to Dan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan (Past!Dan)?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Phil's goodbye?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan & Phil's new idea?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him going home with Brad & leaving Luke behind?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the way Brad's going to be after the doctors have helped him?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on him wanting to continue to lie to Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke at the end with Rocky & what he is obviously planning on doing?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	35. The Rest of My Life Let Him Go

**Shit. Only 4 chapters left. 4. Fucking four.**

 **I remember when I was only 4 chapters into The Last Judgement. And now we're at the end of this story.** **Time flies when you're having fun, eh?**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 35  
** _The Rest of My Life / Let Him Go_ **  
**

Ashton got out onto the roof and went over to the ledge of it, looking over the desert and to the city you could only just see in the distance. He breathed deeply, shutting his eyes and rubbing his head as the sickness began to take over him again. He opened his eyes to find himself looking down at the top of the warehouse roof which made him feel even sicker, so he looked back up.

He couldn't help his sickness, he'd been like this for a while now. Trust me, if he could help his sickness he would.

But hey, you can't help or control the natural symptoms and side effects of being pregnant.

It'd be brilliant if he could, he'd have a better chance at hiding it.

Not that he wanted to hide it, he just didn't want to tell anybody yet. Not after what they've all just been through, he didn't want to add even more stress upon Luke. The only other person that knew apart from himself was Ross 'cause he caught him being sick twice and wouldn't stop questioning him on it. He kept insisting that he checked nothing serious was wrong with him with them all being outdoors for weeks on end and living in unsanitary conditions.

Ashton managed to get Ross to keep his mouth shut and not breathe a single word to anybody for the time being.

"Ashton?"

Ashton perked up and stood up straight at the sound of Luke's voice "Hey."

Luke stood next to him and seen he looked a bit delirious "Are you sure you're alright apart from just feeling sick?"

Ashton nodded "Yeah, I'm fine. Just er… Saving the world and building what you basically started is more tiring than you think," He said, making Luke laugh softly "honestly, I could sleep for a week right now."

Luke wrapped an arm round him "I know, me too. And you can after this."

"After what?" Ashton asked, a little confused "please don't tell me we missed something…" He said, becoming full of dread which was a little amusing for Luke.

Luke shook his head "No, nothing's wrong."

"Then what?"

Luke stared over Ashton with an admiring smile whilst Ashton stared at Luke wondering what he had to wait for. Seconds later, Luke leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips.

After a short while, they pulled away. Ashton sighed happily "You know, if that's all I had to wait for, I could have gotten that anytime I wished." He said, and Luke shrugged.

They stood barely an inch apart from one another and Luke looked at Ashton nervously yet happily "You know… This whole 'end of the world' thing… It's scared me a hell of a lot for more reasons than one. I just haven't shown it." Luke said.

Ashton nodded "Yeah, I know… Me too."

"For starters, I thought we were going to be fugitives on the run forever, then I thought we were all going to be trapped in 2037, then I almost lost you over a stupid situation, and then I almost lost you again as well as Brad… Honestly, I thought Rocky had actually killed me when he pushed me and I fell in the river."

"Me too, I almost pushed him in after you."

Luke let out a small laugh, wishing he could have seen that moment but he was too busy getting washed away by the current in the river and almost drowning. "After that I thought the world was doomed for good but hey… We found a way round it and I almost lost you again in the process… If I wasn't so determined and in love with you, that drain pipe you were holding onto would've broke and you would have fell to your death."

"And I'm glad of that." Ashton said, wrapping his arms around Luke's neck and giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.

Luke pulled away from the kiss "My point is… I love you, I love you a lot. A-and this whole thing has made me realise that I don't ever want to be away from you and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you no matter what – even though I'm going to have to be away from you more than I'm with you 'cause of you going back to Australia with Brad and me staying here," He said, making Ashton gradually smile "listen… I've been planning to ask you this for a while now… Even before this whole situation started – a little while after Rocky got trapped in 1995 for a few months. I just… I never knew when to ask or if there was a right moment."

"What?" Ashton asked, knowing where this was going. If there was one thing about Luke you had to know, it was that he wasn't very subtle.

"Do you think I should swap rooms with Ross so I can have a room to myself?"

Ashton's smile fell and he raised his brow, giving Luke an unamused look. "What?" Luke asked.

Ashton slapped him round the side of the head "Ask what you were really gonna ask!"

Luke yelped in pain "That was what I was gonna ask! Come on, I wouldn't be annoying Rocky anymore or be having him complain to me, Ross would have to put up with it instead – it'd be paradise."

"Luke!"

"Alright, sorry," Luke said, letting a small silence fall over them "will you marry me?"

"Well, no, I don't think I want to now. Not after that little stunt."

"I was joking!"

"Oh, joking? What else are you gonna joke about?"

"Oh, so you don't want to marry me?" Luke asked, as both his and Ashton's voices raised gradually.

"Never said that."

"Then do you? Yes or no? Are you going to marry me?"

"It depends. How much do you want to marry me?" Ashton asked, almost shouting by this point.

"More than anything in this god damn world!" Luke shouted.

"Alright, then yes, I'll marry you!"

"Then I'll marry you too!"

"FINE."

"FINE."

A short silence fell over them both as they looked at each other seriously but it broke when they started laughing. "I love you." Ashton said, walking over and hugging him.

"I love you too." Luke replied kissing him.

"Awe! Yay! Now can I be best man?" A familiar voice asked from the direction of the entrance to the roof.

Luke and Ashton looked to see Ross and Rocky stood there and by the looks of it, the question had come out of Ross' mouth. "Sorry Ross, but I already asked Rocky." Luke said.

"Can I be yours then?" Ross asked, looking at Ashton "or are you gonna make Brad yours?"

"Dude, he's their kid," Rocky said, before Ashton could respond "the child of the bride and groom – or in this case grooms – has to be the flower girl that drops petals as the bride or groom walks down the aisle or the ring bearer."

Ross smirked "Oh my, God, that means he's gonna be wearing a dress and dropping flowers or living in fear of losing the wedding rings – I can't wait to see this." He said, being highly amused by it and it hadn't even happened yet.

"We're not cruel enough to make him wear a dress, Ross." Ashton said.

"No I know but it'd be funny just to see the look on his face if you tell him for a laugh."

Luke sighed "Ross, he's not the same person he was three hours ago. He's not going to have the same response anymore."

Ross' face fell as he let that slip his mind "Oh, yeah… I forgot about that… I keep forgetting." He said, and Ashton stroked his back. In a way it was sweet that Ross wasn't seeing Brad in a different way or any different to how he used to be and the person he is just because of this one major accident that, yes, is going to be kinda life changing for him.

Rocky looked over at the other end of the roof, seeing how it was burnt "Someone must have put the fire out then."

"By the way, I thought I should mention this. This base has no leader or anybody in charge anymore. And even though the last time with Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey turned out bad, I'm still feeling like there should be someone just to keep kind of control otherwise hell's just going to break loose." Ashton said.

Rocky shrugged "I don't know. But we can go back inside and try to sort that mess out with everyone – you know? Try and find a couple of people who are willing to do it?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Man, things are going to be really weird around here now. Especially with Brad, Dan, Will, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey gone – you know, faces that you're used to seeing pretty much every day, if not all the time… They're no longer gonna be there when you wake up or walk out of your bedroom door or bump into you in the hallway. Yeah, I know Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey weren't the best people in the world but it's still going to be weird not seeing them." Ross said.

"Yeah, I get what you mean. But everything's got to change and end at some point." Luke said.

"Yeah…"

"Anyway, let's get back inside and sort this whole boss situation out." Rocky said, walking away from the ledge of the roof.

The four boys all walked away from the ledge of the roof to make their way back inside the base, and Luke trailed behind a little bit.

And what happened next was as though it happened in slow motion.

During the process of them making their way back to the door, the boys had failed to notice a figure watching them from the far end of the roof, and once the boys started edging away from the ledge that figure made their way towards them discretely yet quickly. The boys had their backs to the figure so this made what the figure was about to do even easier.

Luke was the closest. It was their best shot.

The figure walked up behind Luke and grabbed him as tightly as they could, making Luke unable to move, which made him let out a scared gasp at the feel of someone grabbing him which caught the attention of the others and they turned round to see none other than Maxwell having hold of Luke.

What the hell?

Luke killed him, how was he still alive?

"Let him go." Rocky said, aiming his gun at Maxwell and pulling back the hammer.

Maxwell laughed at Rocky "You won't shoot me 'cause you'll hit your friend."

"I have a very good aim."

Maxwell backed away from the boys, still having hold of Luke, until he got to the ledge of the roof which sent the other three boys into panic as well as Luke himself.

"How are you still alive? Luke pushed you off the roof." Ashton said, confused and a little bit panicked.

"Mariah, Abasi, Isaac and Oakley knew it was going to happen – so they came to the future before this day happened and saved me from falling. They caught me and transported me safely to the bottom where I laid there for a while to make you both think I was dead. I guess you should have made sure I was dead instead of just looking, huh?"

At that moment Luke began to curse himself 'cause that was the one thing Lucy and Future!Michael had told him to do when he got sent to the future.

To make sure Maxwell was dead.

But he didn't and now his life was in jeopardy.

Maxwell glanced over the ledge of the roof, seeing how far down it was until you hit the ground and it was a pretty long way down. Not to mention that the warehouse was just underneath them too so if someone were to jump or "accidentally" fall, they'd have to smash through the warehouse roof before they hit the floor and died. Or at least become paralysed.

There was no way you would get out of a fall that big without dying or doing some serious, life changing damage to yourself.

And wouldn't it be an absolute pity of that were to happen to Luke?

"Let him go, I'm sure we can sort something out." Ross said, taking a small step forwards which only made Maxwell get closer to the ledge and it made Ross stop getting closer.

Ashton looked over at Luke who looked petrified, but he noticed that one of Luke's arms was free and it was discretely reaching into his pocket where he had a pocket knife. Ashton grinned to himself a little.

Maxwell had no idea what was coming.

"No way… You ruined my plans and killed my friends. Do you think I'm going to let you get away with that?" Maxwell questioned.

"We did it to protect everyone and save them. If you did what you, Priscilla and Harvey planned to do the whole world would have been doomed," Rocky said, and all he got was a disbelieving look off Maxwell "look, how about we make you a dea—"

"No," Ashton said, cutting him off and looking at Maxwell "do it," He said, making everyone confused but Luke "kill him."

"What..?" Maxwell asked, becoming confused himself.

Luke got closer to pulling the pocket knife out of his pocket. He had it in his grasp, he just needed to pick the right moment. "Well, if you were going to kill him, you would have done it by now so why aren't you?" Ashton questioned "are you too scared?"

"I'm not scared."

"Then do it."

Silence took over as nobody had a single clue as to what was happening anymore – until Luke pulled the knife out and stabbed Maxwell in his leg as hard as he could, making him scream in pain and let go of Luke.

Luke went to go run away from Maxwell but unfortunately for him Maxwell was too good at dealing with pain and had incredible reflex skills that he grabbed Luke again, pulling him back and punching him in the face.

Suddenly Luke's plan had begun to go south.

Luke hit Maxwell back and kicked him further towards the ledge in the attempt to kill Maxwell off for good, but Maxwell did his damn best to fight back and right now it was a 50/50 between Luke and Maxwell at who was going to win.

None of the other boys dared to interfere with this fight due to them both being so close to the edge of the roof where one of them could fall at any minute if they made one wrong move.

Luke took one last swipe at Maxwell but missed which gave Maxwell the opportunity to grab Luke's arm and twist it. Maxwell then grabbed Luke by the scruff of his shirt and hung him over the edge of the roof, looking back at Ross, Rocky and Ashton.

They were petrified and had no idea what to do next.

"Please let him go…" Ashton said, beginning to beg, realising how they had no plan or negotiation that would work to get Maxwell to let go of Luke.

Maxwell gave Ashton a mockful sympathetic look "Awe look at that, your little lovers beginning to panic now. I mean, just look at that fear," He said, looking at Luke who was breathing heavily and could no longer feel the upper part of his body on the roof which made him feel very uneasy "you know what fine… I'll let you – I'm being stupid. This is no way to create peace."

Maxwell went to bring Luke back onto the roof but instead he glanced back at the others with a big smirk plastered across his face.

"NOOOO!" Ashton shouted, running towards Maxwell to save Luke but it was too late.

Maxwell let go of Luke and he began to plunge to his death, making Ashton stop in his tracks.

Maxwell looked directly at Ashton with an evil grin, knowing what he was about to say wasn't possible and he would gladly watch Ashton fail at this:

"Catch him if you can."

 ** _Next:_** _Catch Him If You Can_

* * *

 **And after all this time it's finally Ashton's turn to save Luke instead of it being the other way round. Do you think he'll succeed?**

 **You guys hate me i know haha.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on there being another Lashton baby?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell still being alive & surviving?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell throwing Luke off the roof?_**

 ** _Do you guys think Ashton will save him before he hits the bottom?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	36. Catch Him If You Can

**Fun.**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 36  
** _Catch Him If You Can_ **  
**

Ashton stared Maxwell down with a death glare and thought for a moment. He grinned before turning round, running to Rocky and snatching the wrist-epoch he was wearing off him. "Ashton!" Rocky raised his voice.

Less than a second later, Ashton disappeared.

He was not going to lose Luke. Nor was he going to let him die.

Ross and Rocky looked away from the spot Ashton disappeared in and back at Maxwell who stood there looking pleased at the fact that he had sent Luke to his death. "Well I'd be kind of disappointed right now if you all didn't try to fight or kill me." Maxwell said.

"Then you can have that wish." Rocky said, almost shaking in anger, before lunging at Maxwell and punching him in the face.

Ashton reappeared in the warehouse on the top level, he went over to the railings and looked down on the main floor and up at the roof, breathing nervously.

What Ashton had done with the wrist-epoch was that he had used it to send himself into the past a few minutes before Luke got thrown off the roof so it gave him time to put a plan into action to either catch Luke or give him a soft landing so that he'd survive. But there was nothing to give Luke a soft landing other than the stack of empty cardboard boxes but Ashton couldn't guarantee that was where Luke was going to fall when he eventually comes through the roof.

Ashton came away from the railings and tried to think of something – he couldn't let Luke die. He couldn't die. Not like this.

Ross jumped on Maxwell's back, having his arms wrapped tightly around his neck to choke him which was working. He choked and sunk closer to the floor, but unfortunately that had tricked Ross into thinking he had weakened Maxwell so he loosened his grip where Maxwell grabbed Ross' arm and threw him onto the floor with great force.

Ross groaned in pain, swearing he heard his back click.

Ashton paced back and forth in panic, trying to come up with something as he was running out of time dramatically and in the corner of his eye Ashton spotted two ropes a short distance away from him.

 _"Hey! You're all alright!" Ashton said._

 _"Yeah, almost." Rocky said._

 _"What do you mean by 'almost'?" Dan asked._

 _"Landon decided to hide on one of the beams on the roof of the warehouse to hide from a guard and I knew he would fall so I attached myself to one of the chains dangling from the roof with a rope and swung to catch him – I caught him above the empty boxes 'cause that's where the chain stopped swinging. After that I had to cut us both down." Ashley explained._

Of course.

Thank you Ashley Evans.

Ashton smiled in relief and ran over to the ropes picking them up and tying them both together. Next he ran over to the railings where the chains on the roof dangled closest too, but unfortunately the closest chain to the railings were a little out of Ashton's reach.

As Maxwell hovered over Ross, ready to attack him in some way, Rocky ran over and hit him in the back. When Maxwell groaned, Rocky grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him backwards, tripping him up so he landed on the floor where he stomped on his face.

Ashton stood on the top rail and leaned over carefully to grab the chain. It took him a short while but he grabbed it and jumped down from the rails, beginning to loop one end of the rope in the chain and tie it tightly before he used the other end to tie to himself to it to ensure he didn't fall.

Once Ashton had himself tied to the rope, he put all his weight down on it and it managed to hold him. But then he heard something in the roof creak. He took a look.

The chain was coming away from the roof.

But not too badly. Hopefully it would manage to hold Ashton as he swung to catch Luke and if worse comes to worse, it'll snap when he catches Luke and they'll hopefully land on the top of a stack of supplies.

Or hopefully the empty boxes. That'd probably be safer and softer.

Ashton climbed up the railings until he was on the very top and balanced on it, as now all he could do was wait for Luke to fall through the roof and hope he caught him.

Ashton waited nervously, looking up at the roof and within seconds Luke's body smashed through the roof and the moment he did, Ashton jumped off the railings and swung as best and as far as he could in Luke's direction. "Luke!" Ashton shouted.

By the way Ashton had swung, he was underneath Luke which gave him a better chance of catching him.

And it looked like he was going to.

Ashton outstretched his arm towards Luke as he become closer and closer.

"Gotcha!"

He caught him.

Ashton caught Luke.

The collision of their bodies hurt a little but he didn't care. The pair were more than happy and relieved.

But that soon came to an end.

Luke and Ashton both looked up at the sound of an unhealthy creak and they only got so much as two seconds to look at each other before the chain finally snapped from the roof that they were on and the inevitable happened…

They both plunged to their deaths.

Ross kicked Maxwell in the back so he hit the floor and Rocky wasted no time sitting on top of him, grabbing his arms and handcuffing them behind his back.

Rocky dragged Maxwell up from the ground "We're gonna get someone to take you to the cells and you're gonna die a slow painful death. You deserve no less. Ross, quickly run and go get Joe and Caspar to take him down there."

"Will do, afterwards we may as well go see if Ashton saved Luke too. Come on." Ross said, as they made their way back into the base.

The warehouse was filled with complete silence – not so much as a whisper or the murmurs of people walking by could be heard. It was a mess too with the debris of the roof that Luke had fallen through, not to mention from where the chain had come away from the ceiling. The chain that broke away from the ceiling laid on the cold stone floor directly above from where it once hung.

Another reason why it was a mess?

Boxes. Empty boxes that once stood in a nice neat pile were tipped all over and in a messy pile – slightly broken.

Then again, wouldn't any empty box if a nineteen year old boy landed on it.

Luke groaned, punching his way through the empty boxes that broken his fall and saved his life. He appeared at the top of them, looking slightly delirious and confused by his surroundings until everything hit him at what had just happened and he laughed in relief. "Yes!" He cheered, falling back into the empty boxes and closing his eyes with a relieved smile.

"We—you did it, Ash! You saved me… You saved me…" Luke said, whispering the last part again, happily and sighfully.

Luke re-opened his eyes and looked directly up where he seen a big gaping hole in the roof, which made him cock his head like a confused dog.

That was the hole Luke had made in the roof when he fell through it.

He let out a small laugh standing up "Ha… Would you look at that…? Looks like you didn't have to risk your life saving me at all. If you'd have left me I'd have just fallen into this pile of empty boxes anyway. Looks like you had a flying lesson for nothing, right?" Luke said, looking over at where Ashton should have been next to him but he wasn't. "Ash?" Luke repeated, not getting a response from him and confused as to where he could be.

He turned his head, looking around for him, and his face fell when he seen Ashton laid flat on the floor.

Next to the empty boxes.

"No…" Luke pushed his way through the empty boxes and made his way over to him "Ashton!"

He got over to Ashton whose body laid on the cold stone ground – having only missed the same soft and lifesaving landing Luke had by inches.

By inches.

"Ashton…" Luke's voice became saddened, hovering over him as his own body became weaker at the sight of him just laid there looking completely lifeless.

Luke knelt down on the floor next to him "Ash… Hey…" He said, lifting him gently so that he held him in his arms "it's alright… Breathe…"

But he wouldn't.

Tears began to well up in Luke's eyes as he held Ashton and he made no sort of movement what so ever. "It's Luke, Ashton… Wake up. Please. Stop fooling around." He said, beginning to shake.

A tear escaped Luke's eye and rolled down his cheek, beginning to feel a tense feeling in his chest "Come on… Y-you've had bigger falls than this…" He gently stroked Ashton's cheek which was slowly losing its colour "don't let this be the one to take you from me…" He said, trying not to break down crying.

Luke rested his forehead against Ashton's as he refused to believe he was gone. He was fine. All he needed was Ross or some doctor to see to him and he'd be fine. Absolutely fine.

In the corner of his eye Luke managed to see the floor where Ashton had landed and there was a pool of blood where Ashton's head was. Luke shook his head and touched the back of Ashton's head with his own hand and took it from behind where his hand was now covered in blood.

Ashton's blood.

He felt his heart break into a million pieces and he choked on a sob "No… Ash… Please… You c-can't die. What about everything we just did? If you die it'll have been all for nothing! Michael will never have been born and everything we just did wouldn't have happened and the world will end and suffer! Ashton, please! Yo-you ca-can't do t-t-t-th-this to us…" He held Ashton's body closer to him "you can't do it to me…"

And that was it.

Luke broke and began sobbing the hardest he possibly ever had done in his entire life, cradling Ashton's dead body in his arms with his head buried into him.

"Ashton! We're here! Is everything alright?! Did you get him?!" Rocky called, coming through the warehouse door with Ross.

Immediately guilty hit Luke as Ross and Rocky were both expecting Luke himself to be dead if Ashton didn't catch him, not the other way around, which only made him sob more.

Ross and Rocky followed the noises they could hear – which was sobbing, which made them scared – and they followed to where the hole was in the ceiling from where Luke obviously fell through. Luke stayed sobbing with Ashton in his arms and he heard the footsteps of Ross and Rocky coming behind him.

"Luke…" Rocky said, seeing him on the floor. Him and Ross stood in front of him where they seen Ashton dead in his arms and blood on the floor.

"H-h-h-he d-d-didn't have to tr-try and s-s-save me… I'd have landed i-i-i-in th-the e-e-e-empty boxes. He-he didn't l-land in them… He h-hit the floor… He's dead…" Luke said, shaking in sobs.

Ross took a step back and put his hands over his mouth.

Rocky crouched down next to Luke "It's alright, Luke…"

"No it's not alright! He's d-dead and it's all my fault. I sh-should have made sure Maxwell was dead when I pushed him off the roof like I was to but I didn't! I let him down. AGAIN!" Luke almost shouted, in frustration, and knowing that he has past habits of letting Ashton down.

Rocky shook his head, stroking his back "No, you didn't let him down. Far from."

Luke shook his head, ignoring Rocky and shutting his eyes "I'm such a fucking screw up."

"Come on, you know Ashton wouldn't want you feeling this way about yourself. You're not a screw up, far from. It hurts. I know it does, that's why you're feeling this way, because it hurts. And it's going to for a long time but you can't let that get in the way of everything, alright? You can't stay hung up on something that wasn't your fault. You didn't break the chain or make it so that it would break." Rocky said, taking it that Ashton used the chain to catch him because it was on the floor broken.

"He was pregnant, Rocky… That's why I've been acting the way I have with him throughout today since I found out – trying to protect them both, but look. LOOK! THEY'RE DEAD!"

Rocky jumped when Luke shouted. He didn't know what to say anymore, and he looked at Ross who had tears in his eyes.

"I hate myself so much – first Brad, and now Ash. I'm gonna whind up with nobody at all…"

Rocky stayed quiet as he wasn't sure on what to say. "I'm not saying you have to do this now, but you need to let go. He wouldn't want you crying over him and the baby forever – alright, maybe he'll be expecting it a hell of a lot today and maybe a lot of numbness in the next few days. But don't let yourself go. He'd want you to be getting on with your life and doing what you want – sure, maybe the plans you had involved him and I'm sorry to say this, but they don't involve him anymore. Also… What about Brad? He'd want you to be looking after him, especially in the condition he's going to be in. You know how much he cares about him, and after you found him in the fire I can tell you care about him a lot like Ash does. And the only way you're going to be able to look after Brad, and yourself, is if you let go."

Luke shook his head, burying his head into Ashton.

"Luke, please. Let him go…"

 ** _Next:_** _A Change_

* * *

 **I actually can't believe I've just written this chapter. Almost a year ago I had this chapter in mind & was planning on what I was gonna do with it & what the outcome of it would be & now I've just wrote it. Time flies.**

 **And now, there are only 3 chapters left until the final chapter of the story. It's been fun & one hell of an emotional rollercoaster and I'll miss writing these guys but everythings got to come to an end at some point. **

_**PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 _ **Thoughts on Rocky?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Maxwell?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Ashton?**_

 _ **Thoughts on his attempt to save Luke?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Ross?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Luke?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Ashton dying?**_

 _ **Who did you think was going to die out of them both?**_

 _ **Did you think it was just going to be Luke or both of them?**_

 _ **Thoughts on Rocky trying to comfort Luke?**_

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Most intense moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	37. A Change

**Yeah... So... That happened.**

 **Okay. NOW I promise there's no more plot twists left in the story :')**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 37  
** _A Change_ **  
**

Phil was almost banging his head off the table in the canteen, sat with Ryan, Renzo, Bailey, Ashley, Landon and Samara, 'cause they and everyone else got the conversation going, nicely, about how there were no bosses in charge of or anybody to run the base anymore. And now there were arguments over it and nobody would shut up about it – it was driving everyone insane.

"Oh thank fuck for that. Guys!" Ryan shouted and waved, seeing Ross, Rocky and Luke coming into the room – but none of them looked happy in the slightest or in the mood to be dealing with this, not to mention it looked as though Luke had been crying.

But the three decided to go over to the table anyway along with Joe and Caspar who came into the room next as Ross had dragged them both out of the room without an explanation to lock Maxwell up in the cells.

"What's wrong?" Phil asked, seeing the look upon everyone's face.

"Did you lock him up?" Ross asked, ignoring Phil. Joe nodded and gave him the key to the cell Maxwell was in.

"Are you going to tell us what's wrong and what's happened or..?" Samara asked.

"Ashton's dead." Rocky said.

"What?" Phil asked, as though he had misheard Rocky and he swears he did because he was only with Ashton like ten minutes ago – even though that's a bit of an exaggeration but still.

"Maxwell was still alive and let's just leave it at that."

"Oh my, God… Are you alright, Luke?" Ashley asked "well… stupid question. Obviously you're not."

Luke didn't say a word for a short while. "Why's everyone arguing?" He asked, finally speaking.

"Because we need a new boss now that you guys kindly killed Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey." Samara said.

Rocky sighed heavily and rolled his eyes, jumping onto a table "EVERYONE SHUT UP!" Rocky shouted, and the whole room fell silent "Right, we get it. Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey are dead and are no longer in charge, meaning we have no boss or leaders or whatever you wanna call them – big whoop! Yes, I know we're obviously going to need some to make sure this place keeps on running. Stop arguing over it, I'm sure we'll find someone."

"Yeah but who?" A random person asked.

"Well, who do you all want to be in charge?" Rocky asked, and nobody said a word "Oh, that's great, you're all arguing over it and you don't even know who you would like to be put in charge – doesn't anybody in the room want to have that responsibility?"

"Why don't you be the boss and be in charge?" Phil asked.

Rocky looked down at him "What?"

Phil got up from where he was sat "It's only right that you're put in charge and are a boss like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey were – except not like them of course, nobody wants to rule the way they did," He said, and Rocky raised his brow "Come on. You killed them for the safety of everyone here and this place as well as the world. That's something Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey would never have done. It would feel nice to know we have a boss that cares about and would protect us from danger like that."

"Yeah, but… Me being in charge of this place, really?" Rocky question, not being sure that would work out so well. Someone would die. Multiple people would die. The place would probably burn to the ground within the first week. Let's face it, one of the above would happen.

"Yeah," Joe said, also standing up "you pretty much lead me, Caspar, Dan, Phil, Samara, Ross, Luke, Ashton, Brad etc. to this very point ever since Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey kicked us all out to the Forest. If it wasn't for you, I don't think any of us would have gotten to this point."

"Plus, if you were in charge we know that things would be a whole lot better and the rules that Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey had in place would be gone and replaced with better ones." Samara added.

Rocky stayed silent, not quite knowing what to say to that "I… I… I'm wishing I never got up on the table now…"

"Who here would want Rocky to be in charge? Raise your hand." Phil said, proceeding to raise his own hand along with Joe, Caspar, Samara, Bailey, Ryan, Renzo, Ashley, Landon and pretty much everyone in the room.

Phil turned and looked up at him "If you can save the world, you can run this place. I believe in you. We all believe in you."

Rocky stayed silent before sighing "Alright, fine. But… like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey… I ain't doing it alone."

"No, come on Luke, let's go." Ross said, ushering him towards the door as well as himself as he knew what was coming next.

"Ross Shor Lynch and Lucas Robert Hemmings, don't you dare leave this room."

"Fuck sake." Ross muttered under his breath and the two boys turned to him.

"Seen as though I am now the boss of this place, I can therefore decide on what everyone does. And I don't want to be a boss alone 'cause I know I will fuck up so… guess what." Rocky said.

"What?" Luke asked.

"You two are now in charge as well." Rocky said, smiling at them both but all he received was a glare off the pair.

"You know from the moment we all started working here, I would never have seen this coming." Caspar said.

"There we are – sorted. You all now have three bosses, can we all stop arguing now?" Phil asked, turning to everyone who was in the room.

"Great. Now go do what the fuck you all like for the next few days – rest, sleep. But after that everything's going back to normal with a few changes, alright?" Rocky said, and with that everyone in the room scarpered.

Rocky jumped down from the table. "And what makes you think us two aren't going to fuck up being a boss as well?" Ross asked.

"Hey, if Ashton was still alive I'd have just asked him but… Hey. There's only three of us left now and I'd rather us be together than apart."

"Actually depending on how it goes with Brad it might just be you two. Ashton said he was going to go back to Australia with him and look after him until he recovered but now he can't so I'm going to have to." Luke said, not having any sort of life or emotion left in his voice what so ever – no matter what he talked about.

"You can look after him here." Rocky said.

Luke shook his head "I don't want him around here whilst he's recovering, it won't really help him. I'm going back to my room." He said, walking away.

Ross sighed as he watched him walk away "I think we need to keep an eye on him."

"Yeah, same. I don't know what it is but… I can already see a change in him and… I don't like it." Rocky said.

"Rocky," Ryan said, where the two boys turned to him "yeah, erm… a few days ago I fell from the roof and you saved me. Do you remember it?"

"No…"

"Then can you please go do it because… I don't wanna die."

Rocky looked at Ross who shrugged "Fine. Come with me and tell me what to do." He said, pushing him in the direction of the exit to the canteen.

Luke got back to what was now going to be his and Rocky's room and sighed, not being sure if he was happy to see the room again even though he thought he would never see it again.

He went over and sat on his bed, finding it weird and upsetting at how he was going to be sleeping in it alone from now on with nobody beside him. All he wanted was sleep and now he was probably not going to get a lot of it – the only way he was more than likely going to get sleep was if he cried himself to sleep.

But he can try, hey?

Luke went to go put his head on his pillow when he noticed an envelope on it.

 _Luke_

He picked it up and opened it, seeing a piece of paper with writing on – basically someone had sent him a letter.

 _Okay, so, I'm kinda on a time limit with writing this 'cause I'm running out of it being where I am but er… Hey._

 _Erm… I don't really know what to say 'cause if you're reading this that means I'm dead. Unless some miracle happened and I survived._

Ashton.

Wait.

How and when did he write this?

And how the hell did he know he was going to die?!

 _I wouldn't be writing this if I hadn't have got sent to the future by Abasi and Harvey. But I'm only writing it because of what I saw in the future and got told – and I don't want any of what I saw to happen. I'm in the future now writing this 'cause Dan kinda got me too. Especially after what he told me. He pulled me to one side after I spoke to the future version of you – and the future version of you I do not like at all._

 _I basically saw what happens after I die and that's you turning evil. I don't want you to turn evil all because I died. That's not a good enough reason too and it's not something I would like to see happen if I was still there._

 _After I spoke to you in the future, Dan pulled me aside – as I've already said – and he told me that no matter what happens I'm going to die one way or another because of Maxwell still being alive 'cause no matter how you try and kill him before I die, someone's going to save him and bring him back. Which I imagine has already happened 'cause you're reading this. But if you kill him after I'm dead, he'll stay dead – obviously._

Luke smiled a little with a tear falling down his cheek.

 _I also know that something's going to happen to Brad, but I don't know what – I just got told it's something I have to see happen for myself so I guess that's already happened too. If it's something bad, like on the brink of death bad, please look after him for me. He needs you and you need him. Don't send him back to his adoptive parents in England, he won't like that, I know for a fact he won't. Just make sure he's alright and recovers from whatever's going to happen to him for me, please._

 _I love you, okay? I love you more than I can put into words which is why I don't want to see you turn evil. You don't have a reason to. Just let everyone that tries to help you get over me, help you. Accept all the help people try to offer, don't reject them or think it's their fault I'm gone. It's not. They didn't do a single thing to cause my death. Just go out and do whatever you want that makes you happy for me – don't let my death drag you down._

 _'Cause if you do I swear to god I will haunt your ass so badly you'll have wished you got over me the second I died and you'll need a priest :)_

Luke laughed softly.

 _Goodbye, Luke and I love you._

 _Love Ash x_

Luke sighed, laying back on his bed as he held the letter close to him and smiled a little, being happier than he was before because at least he got some sort of closure with him even though Luke couldn't give Ashton closure.

 **2 Days Later**

Everything had almost returned back to normal at the base.

Luke was in the hospital unit waiting for one of the four doctors to come out and tell him if Brad was alright as he had been told to go there because they were almost done trying to fix him.

The door opened and all four of the doctors came out – three of them left but one stayed to talk to Luke. "Finished. He's still in a lot of pain though." The Doctor said.

"Right, okay. Does… Does he look like a person again?" Luke asked.

The Doctor nodded "Yeah, he's just got a lot of scars that's all. Also… What I said about there being a high chance of him not being mentally or physically alright… He's not. He's gonna have to go home. His legs are broken – something must have fell on him when the explosion happened – but he can't move them, so he's basically going to have to learn to walk again. And he was trying to speak to us in there and it doesn't sound like he can speak properly. He keeps stuttering and is struggling to pronounce words so you're going to have to be patient when speaking to him."

Luke nodded, dreading going in to see him as this didn't even sound like Brad at all – it sounded like a completely different person.

"He still has bandages wrapped around his face though so you might want to take them off for him – we figured you might want to be the first person he sees."

Luke nodded again "Thanks."

"No problem, see ya." He said, walking off.

Luke was about to walk into the room when:

"Luke." A female voice said.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to see Rydel – being in the same clothes she was when he last seen her. "I thought you left." Luke said.

"I did. But I needed to come here first and talk to you before I went back to 2037 to however my life's going to be." She said, walking towards him.

"What do you want?" Luke asked.

"You're going to go in there and see Brad, but… you're going to see the way he looks and freak out. Don't. It's fine. It's absolutely fine. He can stay with you despite the way he looks. Do not do anything, do not send him to the future 'cause he'll only get sent to a completely different version to the 2037 you were in." Rydel explained.

Luke was confused. "Is that it?" He asked.

Rydel nodded "That's it. This is the last thing you were ever needed to be told and one of the most important things."

"Okay."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

Rydel smiled at him before walking away and typing on her wrist-epoch, disappearing for the final time.

Luke breathed deeply before walking into the room and shutting the door behind him, seeing Brad laid in the bed – literally being a human bandage. The only parts of his body that weren't wrapped up in bandages were his arms, they were both just scarred and scabbed from the burns.

Luke walked over to the bed and sat down next to him "Brad… Are you awake? It's Luke." He said, shaking him gently by the shoulder.

Brad moved a little and woke up "Luke..?"

"Hi. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I-I'm in p-pain."

"I know, I can imagine."

"Wh-wh-w-where's Ash…ton?" He asked.

Luke stayed silent for a moment "He's er… He's not here."

"Wh-where is… h… he?"

"He's dead. He died." Luke said, deciding to get this out of the way quickly before they talked about other things.

"What..?"

"Yeah, it's only me and you now. M-Maxwell was still alive and he killed him."

"Wh-where's M-Max... Maxwell?"

"Locked in the cells downstairs 'cause we can't decide on what to do with him. I haven't seen him since Ash died, and once I do… oh, he's going to suffer, don't you worry." Luke said, stroking Brad's hair gently.

"G-good."

"Listen, I've gotta take you home. You can't stay here whilst you're like this, it's not good for you."

Brad became scared "H-home as in… Eng-Eng… Engla..nd?"

Luke shook his head "No, I'm taking you home to Australia. I'm gonna look after you till you're better then we can come back here if you want."

"Oh… Okay…" He said, before grimacing in pain.

"Does it hurt that bad?"

Brad nodded "E-every… where hurts… I can't… I can't… bare it."

"Don't worry, it'll get better. Do you want me to take the bandages off your face? 'Cause to be honest, right now, you look like a human bandage." Luke said, making Brad laugh a little which caused him pain. Luke wasn't liking how much every little thing Brad was doing was causing him pain.

He stood up and started to take the bandages off him, keeping in mind what Rydel had told him that when he took it off not to freak out.

He gently took it off and once he had it off, Luke put it in the bin behind him and turned back to look at Brad and his eyes widened when he seen the way that he now looked. "W-what..? Is i-it b-b-bad..?" Brad asked, frightened in case he looked an absolute mess nobody wanted to be near anymore.

But Luke was in complete shock at what he was seeing.

Brad looked like Michael – but with brown hair.

And quickly it dawned on Luke.

Brad is Michael and Michael was Brad.

Which was why Michael kept saying he felt like he had lived all of this before and kept getting voice echoes in his head every time something changed in the future. Not to mention Brad's actual birth name is Michael.

Luke felt like slapping himself. This was so obvious yet he never figured it out sooner.

Luke shook his head "N-no… It's not bad, I swear. It's fine. You look fine." He said, going back over to the bed.

"Are you s-sure?" Brad asked.

Luke nodded "Yeah. If there was a mirror in the room, I'd show you."

"W-w-w-when ar-are you t-t-taking me h-h-home?"

"When the doctors say you're able to leave here."

"W-when… wi-will that b-b-be?"

"Soon," He said, running his hand through Brad's hair. He breathed deeply "I'll be back soon." He said, going to the door.

"Wh-wh-w-where are you g-g-going?" Brad asked.

He smiled at him a little "To give someone a visit."

 ** _Next:_** _A New Generation_

* * *

 **Honestly I nearly ruined so many 5SOS songs with this chapter cos there's things people said in this where you could have literally carried on into a 5 Seconds of Summer song aka Beside You, Carry On, The Girl Who Cried Wolf. I could go on.**

 **Wow... So... The next chapter is the chapter before the final chapter. And this is the last story you're all ever going to have from me as well, I did mention this a while ago so yeah. Still can't believe I'm at the end.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Rocky (&I guess Luke too but) now being in charge of the base?_**

 ** _Do you think Luke's 'changing'?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton's letter?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rydel?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad/Michael?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen?_**


	38. A New Generation

**OMG. 5SOS & THE VAMPS ARE BOTH NOMINATED FOR A TCA AND ROSS IS TOO. THERE IS A CHANCE R5 & THE VAMPS MAY BE TOGETHER AT THE TCAS THIS YEAR AS WELL DAN, PHIL, JOE AND CASPAR JHFKYDSUKFMNDEHJKM. 5SOS HAVE A SHOW THAT DAY SO THEY CAN'T. FFS. SO CLOSE BUT SO FUCKING FAR AWAY.**

 **ARGHJIOElk. I WILL HAVE BRRAL IN THE SAME ROOM TOGETHER ONE DAY I SWEAR.**

 **I WAS KINDA HOPING IT WOULD BE BEFORE I WROTE THE FINAL BRRAL STORY BUT HEY HO WE CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING CAN WE.**

 **Anyways.**

 **This is the second to last chapter before the final one.**

 **Thank you so much for reading this, The Last Ju-you know what, I'm saving my long sappy ass speech for the next chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee or Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records & YouTube!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 38  
** _A New Generation_ **  
**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rocky asked, walking with Ross and Luke down the cells.

Luke nodded.

"Are you sure it'll help though?" Ross asked, not being quite sure of what Luke was about to do.

"Yes." Luke said.

"Alright then… Whatever keeps you sane and happy." Rocky said.

Rocky unlocked the door to one of the enclosed cells and walked in where Maxwell was on the floor with his hands still handcuffed from when Rocky did it two days ago. "Well it's about time you came down to see me. I've been down here for two days without food or water." Maxwell said.

"Good you deserve it."

"What are you even here for?" He asked "I'm surprised you haven't left me here to rot."

Rocky smiled "No, that's being nice. We'd rather just get rid of you now."

"Oh, yeah, how?"

Rocky backed off and left the cell, making Maxwell confused and even more so when Luke walked in and shut the door behind him, where then Rocky locked the door. "That's funny, I thought I killed you." Maxwell said.

"No, you killed Ashton." Luke said.

"Ohhh. Whoops. Accident." Maxwell said, bluntly and with a proud grin.

Luke took Maxwell by surprise and suddenly stabbed him in the chest "Whoops. Accident." He said, before taking the knife out and kicking him to the floor, beginning to hit, kick and stab him.

Ross and Rocky waited outside where all they could hear was Maxwell screaming in pain constantly and not stopping. "Fuck, what's he doing to him?" Ross asked, not being sure if he could stand listening to this any longer.

"I don't know. Does it matter so long as he actually dies this time?" Rocky asked.

"Not really. I guess he deserves it."

They stayed in silence, even though Maxwell's screams and pleas were making it hard for them to. "I'm gonna go outside." Ross said, deciding he couldn't listen any longer to the pain Luke was putting Maxwell through.

"Now the last time someone said that, they ended up dead." Rocky said.

"Fuck off, Rocky." Ross said, as he walked away.

"Too soon?"

"Yeah, just a bit."

After a few minutes, everything fell completely silent and knocking was heard on the door. Rocky unlocked it and Luke came out "Is he dead?" Rocky asked.

"Take a look for yourself." Luke said.

Rocky looked in where he seen loads of blood and the state Maxwell was in, which was indescribable and stomach turning, all thanks to Luke.

Yeah.

He was definitely and finally dead.

"Ooo… Nice…" Rocky grimaced.

Ross was now sat outside the base on the floor and had been joined by Joe, Caspar, Phil and Samara. "You know, I haven't gone back to work yet. I probably should before you, Rocky or Luke fire me," Caspar said, making Ross laugh a little "I mean who'd have seen that coming from the moment the three of you stepped through the door? Being in charge of the base. I'd have laughed if someone told me it back then."

"I kinda think it was inevitably going to happen." Joe said.

The door opened that lead to where they were outside and out came Rocky and Luke. "Is he dead?" Ross asked.

"Oh, yeah," Rocky said, as he and Luke sat on the floor with the others.

"Good. I don't see why the three of you spared him so long after Ashton died." Samara said, and the others pretty much agreed.

Everything fell silent for a while between the seven before anybody broke it. Rocky looked at Ross "What's wrong?" He asked, seeing a numb look on his face.

Ross shrugged "I don't know. Everything just feels weird now."

"What do you mean?" Phil asked.

"I don't know. Nothing feels the same since we saved everyone. I guess it just feels weird not having everyone who used to be here, here. Aka Dan, Will, Ashton and Brad."

"Yeah, I get you." Luke said, feeling the same way – heck, he'd been feeling the same way the moment he seen Ashton dead on the floor.

"Ever since two days ago do you ever just feel like it's drawing to the end of an era? I mean… Out of us all, it's only us seven left – actually six 'cause Luke, you're leaving with Brad and might not even come back." Ross said.

Joe sighed, looking down "Actually… Make that five," He said, making everyone look at him "I'm sorry, it's just… I gotta go back home to England."

"What? Why?" Caspar asked.

"'Cause… You know why."

Caspar didn't say another word as he immediately understood along with Phil, whereas the others were waiting for him to explain. "I made a mistake a few years ago and I need to start making up for it now. After watching Luke and Ashton go through what they went through with Brad along with the numerous times of how I nearly didn't survive all this… It's made me realise that I don't want to put my child at the risk of not having a Father." Joe explained.

"I don't think anybody would want our kids to not have a Father. Mainly 'cause the majority of us are going to be the Father." Rocky said.

"Yeah, and that's why I'm going back home." Joe said, where he received a questionable/funny look from Ross, Rocky and Luke, apart from Samara, Phil and Caspar as they all knew about Joe's daughter.

"Wait… What..?" Rocky asked, dumbfounded.

"D-do you have a… child..? Are you a Dad?" Luke asked. Joe nodded.

"Since when?! Why have you never told us?!" Rocky asked.

"It's a long complicated story but after everything that's happened, I now realise I need to go home and be there for her. Especially since her Mum's dead and she'll only ever have one parent. I need to make closure. Everyone deserves closure with someone they know and love." Joe said.

Everyone stayed silent, coming to realise that it was literally the end of an era.

"Man, is there even a point in us all staying here? There's literally none of us left." Rocky said.

Joe shook his head "No, stay. All five of you stay. You all belong here obviously, there's nothing that's taking you away from here yet. It's just… Maybe it's time for a new generation to take over."

The boys and Samara jumped when they heard Ashley scream.

"WAS THAT NECESSARY RYAN?!" Ashley asked, screaming, where then the sound of the others laughing could be heard.

"Oh shut up you love us really." Ryan said.

"No I fucking don't. This is what happens when five people work together and there's one girl - the girl always gets picked on. STOP IT LANDON!"

"Yeah... Maybe..." Ross said.

"Ross! Rocky! Luke!" Someone shouted, running over to the three "there's something wrong downstairs in the vaults! I think someone's broken into the explosives room!"

And the peace had lasted so long.

As per usual, just without Brad and Ashton this time, the three made their way downstairs and each found individual ways into the explosives room where the people were who had broken in. There were about four or five. Yeah, there were now only three of them instead of five but they'd manage.

Hopefully.

Rocky jumped out in front of one of the five, going to punch the person but they beat him to it which threw him completely off guard. He regained his balance and jumped off the floor, attempting his attack once more.

Luke hid behind some boxes that were in the explosives room, following another of the five that had broken in. He got out from behind the boxes and began to creep up behind the person, only to be tackled to the ground by a second. He rolled onto his back and did his best to try and throw the person off him, but due to there only being one of him and two of them he was struggling.

"ASHTON!" Luke shouted, as he was struggling.

But then he remembered he was dead and gone.

He was so used to shouting him for help in these situations – so now it looked like he was going to die and be re-joined with him as Ross and Rocky couldn't exactly come to his rescue.

Ross groaned as he hit the floor, after being thrown to it by a fourth person who had broken in. He jumped off the floor and tackled them to the ground, only to be dragged off and punched by the fifth person. Ross did his best to fight of their grip, finding it more difficult to now that he no longer had Brad to back him up or help him out.

Nobody could help him out.

This was so much harder as a three piece than it was a five.

Ross screamed as he fell to the floor harshly, face first. Instead of getting up to fight back, he sighed and stayed there.

Was there a point anymore? They couldn't even do their job properly. A job they have been doing since they stepped foot in the place.

Maybe Rocky was right, maybe they should just quit working here and leave.

Let it be everyone else's problem.

"Ross." A voice said.

Ross ignored it and stayed where he laid on the floor, trying to find the energy and motivation to get back up and fight.

"Ross." The voice said more firmly.

Again, he ignored it.

He heard the footsteps from the voice getting closer to him until eventually he felt them shake his shoulder. Ross looked up and seen Renzo crouched down to him with Bailey stood behind him.

"Get up and go." Renzo said.

"What?" Ross asked, confused.

"Go on, go. We've got this. Ashley and Landon have gone to help Luke and Ryan's gone to help Rocky."

"Really?"

Renzo nodded "Yeah. Go on, go. We'll sort this out, I promise."

Ross got up from the floor and ran, but stopped and turned back to watch Bailey and Renzo.

"Right," Bailey said, clapping his hands together as he looked at the two enemies in front "take your pick."

"Oh and you two little boys gonna do?" One of the two people asked.

"Probably more than your anticipating let's face it."

"You're not even from here."

Bailey gasped a little and smiled, looking at Renzo "He's smart! That's a rarity!"

"Seriously though, are we gonna talk or are we gonna dance?" Renzo asked.

"Dance?" The second person questioned confused.

"Alright let me rephrase." Renzo said, before walking over and punching them straight in the face, making them fall to the ground and Bailey immediately went for the other person before they could attack Renzo.

After watching, Ross ran out of the explosives room and wound up running into Luke who was confused to see Ross. "Huh? How come you're not in there?" Luke asked.

"'Cause Bailey and Renzo came in and pretty much took over." Ross said.

"Same. But with Ashley and Landon. I mean, it's a good thing they did 'cause I wasn't doing so good."

"Yeah, same. Where's Rocky? Did he come out? 'Cause they told me Ryan went to go help him."

"He might still be in there or on his way out," Luke said. He looked at the door of the explosives room and back at Ross "are they gonna be alright in there and dealing with that?" Luke asked, being 50/50 on if whether or not they should both just walk away and let them get on with it.

Ross looked back at the room and back at Luke, after hearing a scream that came from one of the mouths of the people who had broken in. He smiled.

"They're gonna be fine."

 ** _The Final Chapter:_** _Superheroes_

* * *

 **Wow. As if the next chapter is the final chapter.**

 **I can't believe it. I can't. I'm not ready to let go.**

 **Thank you so much for reading.**

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW & ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW IF YOU WANT THE NEXT ONE.**_

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maxwell?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke killing him?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe leaving?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey?_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on the name of the next chapter? What do you thinks going to happen? (asides from the story obviously ending haha)_**


	39. Superheroes

**_WARNING:_**

 ** _DO NOT READ THE QUESTIONS UNTIL THE VERY END BC THERE'S SPOILERS IN THEM AS I HAVE PUT THE QUESTIONS AT THE BEGINNING RATHER THAN THE END._**

* * *

 **So... Here we are. The final chapter of the final BRRAL story & the final fanfiction I'll ever write.**

 **I've honestly loved every moment writing fanfiction, whether it be Rosslington, Rad, Codel, BRRAL, 5SOS, Riaura etc... They've all had their great moments. It sounds weird & cheesy saying this but for the last 4 years of my life, fanfiction & being in a fandom has been a huge part of my life. Yeah, I was in fandoms before 4 years ago, I just never showed it until I found Austin & Ally, which lead me to find R5, which lead me to find Dan (danisnotonfire), which obviously lead be to find Phil (AmazingPhil), where then I wound up finding The Vamps, which lead me to find 5SOS, which lead me to find Caspar & then of course Joe (ThatcherJoe). Actually, I'm not so sure how I found Caspar, I can't remember if it was because of 5SOS (Ashton, mainly) that I found him or if it was bc he did an interview with Dan on his channel or a bit of both... Ah well.**

 **But seriously though, thank you guys so much for sticking with me throughout these 4 years years no matter where you found me or which fanfic you found first. Whether if you've been here since It's All About The Girl, Torn Between What's Right & Wrong, Things Will Never Be The Same, The Last Judgement, My English Love Affair or Unpredictable... Thank you. All of your reactions to my stories & the plot twists as well as what's happened in them have made this even more worth wile to write and I mean that. One of the main reasons I love(d) writing was because of your reactions, every time I'd come up with a plot twist or something shocking one of the first things I'd always think to myself was "oh my god, their reactions are gonna be priceless". And I would have LOVED to have wrote the second part of the Epilogue to Just One Yesterday to see your reactions to what was gonna happen in that, but the epilogues didn't feel right so I deleted them & let the story end where Rad finally got their baby & let you guys decide what happened next.**

 **Also, I've written some really weird stuff over the years and I'd like to thank you all and mainly to the people who didn't care and stuck by it and read it anyway, no matter how weird or fucked up it was. AKA MPREG & shipping other members from different bands together that would for sure kill me if they ever found out who I am (aka Rad). Basically just MELA really haha. Honestly, that stories ruined Vamps concerts for me. You can't go to a Vamps concert & NOT think about MELA, I don't know what it is. You just can't. My friend went last night to a show in Stockholm & she sent me snapchats & messages every time she thought about it - even she doesn't understand what it is.**

 **But enough of that.**

 **It's time for me to go now.**

 **Enjoy the final chapter of Link to the Past, and thank you so much for the last four years - but it's just time for me to let go & move on. I feel like my time to leave came a long time ago, I just refused to acknowledge it until now. And I'm not ending this chapter with an authors note, I'm ending it with a lyric to the song I'm using for this chapter - which is why I'm gonna leave the questions at the top where you'll hopefully remember to answer them haha. And I know there's gonna be some unanswered questions & stuff leaving you hanging in this chapter, but that's bc I want YOU guys to decide on what happened next to everyone. I really wanna hear your thoughts on what you would've liked to see happen to them next or what you think would've happened.**

 **Thank you so much and goodbye.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own R5, Bradley Simpson from The Vamps, 5 Seconds of Summer, Dan Howell (danisnotonfire), Joe Sugg (ThatcherJoe), Caspar Lee, Phil Lester (AmazingPhil) or the song "Superheroes" by The Script - all rights go to Hollywood Records, Virgin EMI/Mercury Records, Capitol Records, YouTube & RCA/Epic/Columbia/Phonogenic Records!**_

* * *

 ** _WARNING:_**

 ** _DO NOT READ THE QUESTIONS UNTIL THE VERY END BC THERE'S SPOILERS IN THEM._**

* * *

 ** _Thoughts on Luke? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Rocky? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Riker? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ellington? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Maia? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Nate? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Doctor Cooper? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Phil becoming in charge also?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Joe? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Samara? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on her being put in charge of the base too?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Renzo? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ryan? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Bailey? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashley? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Landon & Ashley? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton's Mum?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Brad? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on him dying?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke being left alone? What do you think he'll do?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Caspar? (in the chapter & overall)_**

 ** _Favourite moment?_**

 ** _Funniest moment?_**

 ** _Saddest moment?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ashton? (overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Dan? (overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Will? (overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke & Ashton? (overall)_**

 ** _Thoughts on Luke, Brad & Ashton? (overall)?_**

 ** _Thoughts on Ross & Brad? (overall)_**

 ** _Favourite character of the stories? (including The Last Judgement, The Weight of Us & The Beginning of the End)_**

 ** _Least favourite character of the stories?_**

 ** _Favourite couple/ship?_**

 ** _Favourite bromance?_**

 ** _Funniest moment of the story?_**

 ** _Favourite moment of the story?_**

 ** _Least favourite moment of the story?_**

 ** _Saddest moment of the story?_**

 ** _Favourite story out of The Last Judgement, The Weight of Us, The Beginning of The End & Link to the Past?_**

* * *

 **Chapter 39  
** _Superheroes_

 _All her life she has seen  
_ _All the meaner side of me,  
_ _They took away the prophet's dream for a profit on the street_

 _Now she's stronger than you know_  
 _a heart of steel starts to gro_ _w_

Luke had packed everything that belonged to himself and Brad, having it all ready to go as the doctors had finally given the greenlight for Brad to leave – so Luke booked the next flight back home to Australia. He had put all of their things into the boot of a Wrangler and had got Brad in the car too as Caspar kindly offered to drop him and Brad off at the airport.

Luke shut the door where Brad was in the Wrangler and went round to where Ross and Rocky were.

"Take good care of him." Ross said.

Luke nodded "I will, don't worry."

"I mean, now that I'm thinking about it, it was so obvious that all along he was Michael," Rocky said, feeling the most stupid he ever had done in his life "I mean his real names Michael for crying out loud!"

"Yeah, I know. I feel a little stupid for not picking up on it myself." Luke said.

Caspar came over with the keys to the Wrangler "Right then, let's go before you miss your flight." He said, getting into the driver's seat.

Luke looked back at Ross and Rocky "Well… It's been something."

"Fun. Emotional. Dangerous. Unexpected. Even more dangerous." Rocky said, making Ross and Luke laugh a little.

"I'll miss you guys." Luke said, hugging them both.

"We'll miss you too. Stay in touch, alright?" Ross said. Luke nodded, after pulling away from the hug.

"And take care of yourself too 'cause if you don't I'll make you wish you did." Rocky said.

Luke laughed "I will, but my priority's Brad," He said, looking back at him in the Wrangler. He sighed and looked back at Ross and Rocky "Goodbye."

"Hey, don't go saying goodbye. We'll see you again."

Luke smiled softly "Take care of this place, will you. I know it sounds weird, but this place is like my second home and I'd die inside if anything happened to it. This place is all I mainly remember from my teen years – even though I still am one."

"Only for a couple months. Then you join the twenties club with us." Rocky said.

"Thanks." Luke said, not really wanting to think about the fact that he was no longer going to be a teenager soon.

"Awe, the baby of the groups growing up." Ross said, mockingly and holding his heart as if it was touching him.

Luke rolled his eyes before turning round "I'm going." He said, getting to the car door whilst Ross and Rocky laughed.

Luke opened up the car door and looked at them both for one last time, beginning to realise how much he was going to miss Ross and Rocky as well as everyone else – but especially them two. He smiled at them before getting into the car where then the engine started and the car drove off.

It being the last time Ross and Rocky would ever see Luke.

 _All his life he's been told_  
 _He'll be nothing when he's old_  
 _All the kicks and all the blows_  
 _He won't ever let it show_

 _'Cause he's stronger than you know_  
 _A heart of steel starts to grow_

Ross was in LA and found himself at a house.

He walked up the path and reluctantly knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer. Minutes later someone finally did – it was Riker. "Oh my, God… It's you. I thought you were dead as well as the rest of them." Riker said.

"Nope. I'm alive, but some of them weren't so lucky." Ross said.

Ellington made an appearance behind Riker seconds later. "Why are you here?" Riker asked.

"I've come for the Wrangler Rocky gave you both to escape."

Riker went back inside to get the keys for it and lead him to the garage with Ellington. "So, how did it go saving the world?" Ellington asked "obviously good, 'cause we're all still here."

Ross let out a small laugh "Alright I guess."

"Did you kill those people Dan was talking about?"

Ross nodded "Yeah, they're dead."

"Good!"

"How come Dan didn't come back for it?" Riker asked, as they were now in the garage where the Wrangler was.

Ross breathed deeply "He died that day, he got shot."

"Oh…" Riker said, feeling sad about that as well as Ellington.

"Did anybody else die?" Ellington asked.

Ross nodded "Yeah, Ashton. He was trying to save Luke from falling and he did, but he died in the process 'cause he fell too, only Luke had a soft landing with something that broke his fall whereas Ashton landed on the concrete."

"Oooo…" Ellington hissed.

"Yeah. And er… Brad got caught in an explosion and has had to go home with Luke 'cause he's in a really bad state."

"Oh, yeah, we saw that explosion as we were driving away – we thought you were all dead because of it." Riker said, and Ross shook his head.

"Brad went home with Luke?" Ellington questioned, and Ross nodded "are them two related? 'Cause… I was kinda getting that vibe from them – Ashton too but… I think Luke and Ashton were together and dating weren't they? So, that'd be sorta incest."

"Yeah, Luke and Ashton were together. But as for Brad being related to them… You're kinda right." Ross said.

"How did you know they were both dating?" Riker asked Ellington "they never told us and neither did anybody else, they didn't even show any kind of affection in front of us or to each other. I didn't even know they were together until now!"

Ellington shrugged "I don't know."

"By the way, Riker, I have a surprise for you." Ross said.

He guided him out of the garage to the front of the house where Riker's car was. "How did you get it back?!" Riker asked, being relieved and happy to see it.

Ross handed him the key "It got brought back to the base when you two did. I – well, Rocky and Caspar – fixed it for you."

"Thank you!" Riker hugged him before running to the car.

Ellington stood next to Ross watching him "I'm not sure where but… I have met you before haven't I. The same as Luke, Rocky, Rydel and Brad."

"Yeah." Ross said.

"Care to tell me where?"

Ross looked at him "I think you know."

Silence fell before Ross made his way back into the garage to get into the Wrangler "I'm going, I'll see you guys."

"Wait!" Riker said, going over "we didn't get the chance to say thank you. Thank you for everything that you and your friends did – I can imagine that you all had to go through a hell of a lot to stop the world from getting destroyed."

"Just a little."

"Well… Thank you. We really appreciate it. You guys are literally heroes and the world will never know it." Ellington said.

Ross let out a small laugh "Thanks, but… It wouldn't be the first time the world hasn't recognised someone saving it," He said, looking at Ellington for a short while. He turned round to get to the Wrangler "Goodbye guys."

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been struggling to make things right  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power_)

Whilst Ross had decided to go visit Riker and Ellington to get the Wrangler back and give Riker his car back, Rocky had decided to go see someone who he hadn't seen for a very, very, _very_ long time.

He walked into a store – a store he hadn't been in for almost two years. He seen someone stood behind the till "Hey… Martha, is it?" Rocky asked, being only just able to read her name tag.

Martha nodded "Yeah, can I help?"

"I don't suppose Maia Mitchell's around is she?"

"Hold on. MAIA!" Martha shouted, going into the back of the shop.

"Yeah?" Maia called.

"Someone's here to see you."

"Who?"

"I don't know, some guy."

Maia walked out and seen Rocky stood at the till "Hey…" She said, being confused at why she was seeing him and why he was here "I haven't seen you for… a while…"

"Yeah, I know… I got kinda busy." Rocky said.

"Doing what?" Maia asked, walking behind the till as Rocky leaned on it.

"Saving the world." He said, with a flirty smile.

Maia smirked "Yeah, right."

"No, seriously, I have."

Maia sighed, looking him up and down "I remember how you used to come here every morning before leaving to go to wherever it is you work and not returning for months. Always flirting with me and then leaving. Then one day you came in and never came back… It's been two years. What made you come back?"

Rocky shrugged "A lot of stuffs happened since the last time we spoke."

"Like what?"

"How about you give me your number and we can talk about it over a date?"

Maia smiled, letting out a small laugh "Sure."

Rocky smiled, watching her as she went to go find something to write her number on.

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been working every day and night  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power)_

Phil was with Nate in the science department – he was taking Dan's place in there as it was only fair due to him being trained by Dan, and Nate pretty much knew as much as Dan did and was getting there.

As they were in the lab, doing some stuff, Doctor Cooper came into the room. "Hey, Phil, Nate."

"Hey." Phil and Nate said.

"How are you both?" He asked.

"We're good." Phil said.

"Good, good. Can I speak to you for a moment, Phil?" Doctor Cooper asked.

Phil nodded, leaving the room with him and going into another room which was Doctor Cooper's lab. "What's up?" Phil asked.

"As you can probably guess, I've been working here for a long time and most of my life," Doctor Cooper said, and Phil nodded "and… now I'm figuring it's my time to leave."

"What?" Phil asked, standing up from where he was sat, looking devastated.

"Phil, I'm old. There's not a lot I can do anymore."

"I know but… It'd be weird not having you here, not seeing you every day. I mean, I know I haven't seen you for years but… Even when I first came back, I expected to see you – you're one of the familiar faces I expected to see when coming back," He said, as Doctor Cooper began to smile gradually "plus… you run the science department… You're the head of this place… Who's going to run it with you gone?"

Doctor Cooper put his hand on his shoulder "I want you too."

"What?"

"Yeah! I can't think of anybody better! I trust this place in your hands. If Dan was still here and alive I'd have made you both in charge of the science unit, but because he's not… it falls down to you."

"A-are you sure?" Phil asked, being nervous and unsure about this.

Doctor Cooper nodded, smiling "I'm positive."

Phil hugged him "Thank you, and… I'll miss you."

"No, thank _you_ for everything you've done. I'm so proud of you, kid. And I'm proud of Dan too," He said, making Phil smile "you'll do great running the place."

 _All the hurt, all the lies  
All the tears that they cry  
When the moment is just right  
You see fire in their eyes_

Joe was finally home in England and was stood outside a house. He had to get himself together for a moment before building up the courage to knock on it. Within seconds, someone answered the door.

"Joe…" A girl said.

"Hey, Zoe." Joe said.

Zoe was Joe's older sister and the one who had been taking care of Jennifer since Stacey died and when he had been away.

Zoe hugged him "I didn't know you were coming back for a break. You left that as a surprise."

"Yeah, I know. 'Cause I'm not," He said, and Zoe pulled away from the hug, being confused "I'm coming home for good, I'm not going back to that place."

"How come?"

Joe sighed "A lot has happened – mentally, physically and emotionally scarring stuff. And it's a really, _really_ long story, but I'll tell you later."

Zoe smiled "I'm glad you're home."

"Same. It all made me realise I needed to come here and stay."

"DADDY!" A little girl's voice shouted.

Joe looked down the hallway and seen Jennifer, his daughter, running towards him like a nut job. He dropped his bags and got down to catch her as she practically jumped into his arms, hugging him. "Hey, baby." He said, hugging her back tightly and kissing her.

Zoe could see clearly that Joe looked more than relieved and happy to see her – which was something she doesn't usually see when he comes home for breaks.

"Are you home for a break?" Jennifer asked.

Joe shook his head "No, I'm here to stay."

"You're staying?" Jennifer asked, her face lighting up.

Joe nodded "Yeah, I'm staying right here. I'm never leaving you again, I promise." He said, hugging her again where he seen Zoe smiling at him – with a mix of happiness and proudness, so Joe hugged her too whilst still having hold of Jennifer.

 _'Cause he's stronger than you know  
A heart of steel starts to grow_

Samara, who was now around three months pregnant with Calum, was in her room in the hospital unit – still working, when Ross came into the room. "Hey, how are you doing?" Ross asked.

"Fine." She said.

"What about the baby? Is he giving you trouble?"

Samara shook her head "Nope. He's being a peaceful little guy – but I imagine he will get worse as the months come." She smiled at him.

Ross laughed softly "Are you enjoying yourself working in here?"

"Eh, it has its moments. But it's getting kinda boring lately."

"Good," Ross said, Samara raised her brow in confusion at him saying that "well, with Luke gone it's only me and Rocky running and looking after the base – and it's kinda hard with just two people."

"And..?"

"And I was kinda wondering if you would take Luke's place – you know, help us run and be in charge of the base."

Samara looked at him in disbelief "A-are you kidding?"

Ross shook his head "No, I couldn't think of anybody else."

Samara smiled, jumping up and hugging him "Of course I will!"

"We're gonna ask Caspar and Phil too just to make it a little easier."

"That's great."

"And also, I don't suppose you'd mind being head of the Armoury? It's just Luke and Joe were the ones who knew the most about the place but they're gone – Ashton too – and given how the last few months have gone… I think you know quite a bit about the place too."

Samara furrowed her brow "Wait… So you want me to run the base, be in charge of the Armoury AND work in the hospital unit?"

Ross shook his head "No, you don't have to work in the hospital unit anymore."

Samara breathed in relief "Well thank God for that. Who's gonna take my place in here though?"

"Renzo."

"Oh, cool. Wait, what have you done with all them?" Samara asked, as she hadn't seen much of them five lately and had lost track of what jobs they had been given.

"Renzo's taking your place in the hospital unit, Bailey's taking over all of Brad's duties that he used to do, Ryan's taking over Rocky's in the technician and security unit, Ashley's taking over Ashton's jobs, Landon's taking over Luke's, Nate's taking over Dan's, Kyle's taking over Joe's and Alex is taking over Caspar's 'cause we've put Caspar in charge of the technician unit. We figured it was easier than finding others to do it."

Samara nodded "It does. You've made a wise choice there."

"I hope so. Now go on, go. I know you don't want to be in here any longer." Ross said, nodding towards the door.

"Too right, pal." She said, before exiting the room as quickly as she could and making Ross laugh.

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been struggling to make things right  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power)_

"No." Landon said.

"Oh, come on. Stop being a wuss. Man up." Ryan said.

"But I'm scared."

"Of what?" Renzo asked.

"That she'll say no."

Bailey rolled his eyes "She's not going to say no."

"How do you know?" Landon asked, and Bailey raised his brow.

"How about this, if you don't ask Ashley out, I will." Ryan said, making Landon raise his brow and become unamused by that.

"Hey, Ashley, Landon wants to speak to you!" Renzo said, as he seen Ashley walking towards them.

"Renzo!" Landon screeched.

"Bye!" Renzo quickly ran off with Ryan and Bailey to hide and leave the pair alone.

Ashley went over to Landon "What?"

Landon suddenly started to become nervous "Erm… Er… How are you? How's your day been?"

"It's been fine. How's yours?" Ashley asked, finding it a bit weird how Landon was suddenly acting.

"Good so far…" He said, and Ashley nodded. "Listen er… I was um… kinda wondering if you would like to er… um…" Landon said, getting lost for words and even more nervous.

Ashley waited as he tried to speak "If I would like to..?"

Landon scratched the back of his neck, about to say something when: "If you would like to go out with him." Ryan said, from the distance and hiding back round the corner as though he never said anything.

Ashley raised her brow. "Yeah, what he said." Landon said.

"As in dating?" She asked.

Landon didn't say anything. "Yes." Renzo said, making Landon smile nervously at her.

"Oh… Er… I… I don't know…"

"What?" Landon asked.

"Oh for god sake woman, say yes!" Bailey shouted from round the corner, which made her scoff.

"N-not to tell you how to answer the question b-but I would like it if you said yes…" Landon said.

Ashley smiled, finding his nervousness adorable "Alright then."

"Hm?"

"Yes. I'll go out with you."

Landon smiled, refraining from screaming out and running around in relief "Great! Yay! Er… now what?" Landon asked, looking to where Bailey, Ryan and Renzo were hidden but they didn't respond "oh, yeah, now you don't help."

He turned back to Ashley who kissed him the moment he did. They pulled away after a short while. "I'll see you later." She said, walking back the way she came.

Landon smiled, finally being happy and satisfied before:

"LANDON'S GETTING LAID!" Ryan shouted.

Landon shut his eyes and sighed, throwing his head back.

One day he swears he's going to kill Ryan.

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been working every day and night  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power)_

Luke, who was in Australia, was walking up a path with two bunches of flowers in his hands, looking down at them every now and then as he walked. He looked at his surroundings of where he was.

Once he got to where he wanted to be, he crouched down on the grass and laid one of the bunches down – looking at Ashton's grave as he done so. The last few months without him hadn't been fun at all, if anything it was getting worse and his family were pretty much okay and had finally gotten over Ashton dying.

Now that definitely wasn't fun having to tell Ashton's Mum, little brother and sister that their son and older brother wasn't coming home because he was dead, and then a week later at his funeral watch as his Mum and thirteen year old sister can only just keep themselves together for the sake of his little brother who ran away from the funeral, 'cause he couldn't say goodbye to his older brother, and wasn't found till later that night – only for Luke himself have his millionth emotional breakdown during his speech after getting roped into making one by Ashton's Mum 'cause she reckons it would've been nice and something Ashton himself would've liked.

It was horrible.

It was horrible watching people being this way, so hurt and broken, knowing it was avoidable if Luke could have done what he was told properly which was to make sure Maxwell was dead – 'cause then he wouldn't have had to tell Ashton's family he wasn't coming home, and he wouldn't have had to have held and console Ashton's Mum whilst she broke down in tears after Harry and Lauren, Ashton's brother and sister, had calmed down and left the room to distract themselves or be by on their own to process it.

He never ever, ever wants to go through that again. Ever.

But do you know what else wasn't fun?

Explaining who Brad was to them when Ashton's Mum came to visit Luke to see how he was doing as she had learnt of his parents and brothers being dead and after Ashton died Luke literally had nobody apart from Brad and she realised this. So she wound up becoming a second Mother to Luke and he wound up becoming a second son to her – if not, they were each other's replacements for Ashton and Luke's Mum. Of course Ashton's Mum had known Luke since he was a child and had watched him grow up so she was going to be caring like that and mothering to him.

But yeah, explaining Brad.

That was confusing for her but also entertaining at the same time. If anything it shed some light on the situation and made them both happier than they were. Brad tried to laugh along as they were talking about it but he couldn't, he wasn't the same as he used to be. He felt like a little kid again, having to sit back and watch 'cause you don't understand anything of what your parents are saying and why they're laughing even though you're trying your best to understand, not to mention the fact he was having to learn how to walk all over again as well as talk properly without stuttering and stopping. It was frustrating.

And it was getting him down.

Having to have constant attention, having to have someone be with him every time he was doing something normal that he was able to do all by himself before the fire accident – like go to the toilet, have a shower or a bath, getting changed, going out, eating. Stuff like that. All he wanted was to be himself again. He wanted to be Brad again, he didn't want to be Michael. He didn't want to be looked after constantly like a baby, he didn't want to be practically immobile and broken.

It wasn't who Brad was, and nor was it who Michael was. Brad seen that for himself without even realising it.

He just wanted his life back and if he couldn't get it back he would rather be dead.

Luke sighed as he looked at the other bunch of flowers in his hand, looking at the other grave beside Ashton's.

 _Bradley Will Simpson AKA Michael Will Hemmings_

 _1995 – 2015_

He frowned before lying the other bunch of flowers on it.

Brad died last month. He couldn't take it anymore, he was in so much pain from the scars and the burns he received from the explosion, he was suffering that much and felt that miserable that he took his own life.

Luke happily left Brad on the couch of the apartment they were living in and ran to the shop, which was only downstairs, to get some food as they didn't have much of it and Luke hadn't got round to going to the supermarket for some. He didn't want to leave Brad on his own, he never likes to, but he couldn't let them both starve – he tried to get Ashton's Mum to come and watch him whilst he did but she couldn't 'cause she was at work. Luke couldn't exactly get Lauren or Harry to as they were too young.

So it left him no choice.

And he wishes he could've waited until Ashton's Mum got back from work.

When Luke returned back home, Brad had somehow gotten into the kitchen, by dragging himself or crawling, got a knife and stabbed himself multiple times. By the time Luke had called an ambulance and they had got to the hospital, Brad had lost too much blood and died after almost an hour of being there.

All he got was horrible flashbacks from when he held Ashton's dead body whilst he was holding Brad as he was dying, waiting for the ambulance. The pain he felt from Ashton dying returned and hit him just as hard as it did back then.

The only person Luke had ever truly loved had died, and now their son had too.

Again, like Ashton's death, Brad's could have been avoided. Luke could have avoided it.

They're dead and it's all his fault for being a shitty boyfriend and Father.

Ever since their deaths, Luke had become the loneliest guy ever – having no family given his parents and brothers died in a car accident earlier in the year. They too were buried in the same graveyard as the one he was in now visiting Brad and Ashton.

He had nobody at all.

Yes, he had Ashton's Mum checking in on him to make sure he was looking after himself properly but if past experience is anything to go by, Luke will probably lose her too sometime soon. He knows he's being bitter and negative about this but he can't help it. You can only stay positive and yourself for so long in situations like these.

And it was safe to say Luke was no longer himself or who people know him to be anymore.

He could go back to the base and re-join Ross, Rocky, Samara, Phil and Caspar in the attempt to fix himself and the void that needed to be filled in his life now, but he knows that if he returns back to the base in America he'll be constantly reminded of the times when Brad and Ashton were there.

So that was why he was deciding to stay in Australia by himself, where he was debating on joining his family, Brad and Ashton.

But he knows it's not the answer to try and make things better for himself.

Or maybe it is.

Who knows what Luke will decide?

Maybe he will go join Brad and Ashton. Maybe he'll go back to the base. Or join Brad and Ashton.

Who knows?

 _She's got lions in her heart  
A fire in her soul  
He's got a beast in his belly  
That's so hard to control  
'Cause they've taken too much hits  
Taking blow by blow  
Now light a match, stand back, watch them explode_

Ross and Rocky were in the Epoch Room as Phil had both asked them to go there. "What do you want us here for?" Rocky asked.

Phil walked over to them both with a proud smile on his face "I did it."

"Did what?" Ross asked.

"Stabilised it so it can be used without blowing up."

"Stabilised what?" Rocky asked, confused.

"The Epoch."

"No way have you." Ross said, in disbelief.

Phil nodded "Yeah, the problem was it couldn't handle its own power so it'd have blown up if it were to be used only the one time. But… I fixed that problem and now it can handle its own power."

"How'd you do that?" Rocky asked, looking and being a little amazed – but not entirely as he hadn't seen it work properly yet without killing everyone.

"A whole bunch of science stuff you wouldn't understand."

Rocky nodded, understanding and rolling with it anyway. "So… You can use it now?" Ross asked.

Phil nodded "Yeah, watch." He said, going over to the circuit board and typing things into it. He stood in the middle of the Epoch whilst Ross and Rocky watched on nervously and stood close to the door in case anything were to go wrong or blow up.

Phil pressed the red button and there was an enormous flash of blue light which made Ross and Rocky look away as it almost blinded them both. "Okay, now there is a slight chance this thing may blow up in a few seconds and we may die…" Ross said, being slightly frantic as Phil had disappeared and was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly the door to the Epoch Room opened and Phil come through, looking the exact same as he did when he left "Told you." He smirked at them.

"Great… now we can time travel, travel to other dimensions and parallel worlds without the danger of it blowing up. We have the freedom to do that now. And given the history of how people are in this place, this isn't dangerous at all!" Rocky said, sarcastically.

"Um, hello. You're looking at the head of the science unit. Us three are the only people who know," Phil said, standing in front of them "and probably Samara and Caspar 'cause I don't think you're going to keep it a secret from them."

Ross shrugged "Maybe."

Rocky nudged Phil in the arm "Good job, bro."

"Actually, before Dan died he was trying to stabilise it and almost had it, he er… just never got the chance to test it." Phil said.

"Well, good job to the both of you. And… thank you."

"For?"

Rocky shrugged "I don't know just… for everything."

Phil cracked a smile at him "No problem."

Rocky smiled back at him before he and Ross left the room.

 _She's got lions in her heart  
A fire in her soul  
He's a got a beast in his belly  
That's so hard to control  
'Cause they've taken too much hits  
Taking blow by blow  
Now light a match, stand back, watch them explode, explode, explode, explode_

Ross, Rocky, Phil and Samara were in HQ – it had been re-established ever since it had got blown up.

"It's nice not being constantly stuck in that room in the hospital unit." Samara said, being and looking quite happy about that fact.

"You know the more you talk about it, the more it's making me want to put you back working in there." Rocky said.

Samara threw him a challenging glare and Rocky raised his brow "Be nice to me I'm carrying your s—nephew." Samara mentally slapped herself for that almost accidental slip up. And one of these days she swears it's not gonna be an almost. Rocky glared at her.

"Yeah please do, I don't really want anything happening to my son." Ross said.

Rocky coughed, deciding to change the subject as quickly as he could to get rid of the awkwardness that he felt growing as well as the guilt "Has anyone heard from Luke? I haven't heard from him in a while." Rocky asked/said.

"No." Samara said, whilst Phil shook his head.

"Last I heard from him was almost two months ago. I called him." Ross said.

Silence fell as the four in the room were beginning to get a bad feeling from this. "Maybe we should call him or get in touch with him and check if he and Brad are okay." Samara said, feeling worried.

"Yeah…" Rocky said.

"GUYS!" Caspar shouted, barging through the door and making everyone jump.

"What?" Ross asked.

"S-someone was watching the CCTV downstairs, found me and told me that they saw someone breaking in through the vaults."

"When?" Rocky asked, standing up.

"Just now, I ran up as fast as I could."

Samara sighed "And the peace had lasted so long."

"Let's be honest, it wasn't exactly going to last was it?" Ross said.

"What are we going to do?" Phil asked "it can't be that bad if someone's just broke in."

"I said the exact same sentence the first time I seen it happen. Then look what happened." Rocky said.

"Well, I can't go check it out, I have to go to the hospital unit soon." Ross said.

"Neither can I 'cause I've got a lot of shit to sort out up here – and I doubt Phil will 'cause it's not in his nature to hurt someone unless he really has to." Rocky said.

Phil nodded in agreement "I'd like to, but… I just can't hurt someone unless it's a circumstance like Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey."

The three boys all looked at Caspar and Samara. "I obviously can't." Samara said, due to her being pregnant – which meant their last hope was Caspar.

"Do you regret putting me as the head of the technician unit? 'Cause there's work I've got to do down there," Caspar said "plus, do you really trust me to?"

"Well who the hell's going to sort out that stuff if we can't?" Samara asked, her voice raising in pitch because of her confusion, and being a little concerned as that meant the base had no form of safety. Well, let's face it, the moment Brad, Ross, Rocky, Luke and Ashton were all separated they lost that safety.

"Yeah, I mean it used to be you two, Luke, Ashton and Brad but… Now that you're both in charge of this place and that them three are gone… you can't do it anymore." Caspar said.

Everyone glanced at each other, hoping that someone would think of someone or something fast whereas Rocky looked thoughtful and as though a risky idea had just plopped into his mind.

"I have an idea…"

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been struggling to make things right  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power_)

Bailey, Ryan, Renzo and Landon were in the training room by themselves when Ashley made an entrance. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"We got told to." Renzo said.

"Why?" Ashley asked, and he shrugged.

Ryan turned his head to Bailey who was sat next to him and seen him reading something "Wotcha reading?" He asked.

"A letter from my sister." Bailey said.

"You could look a little happier about it." Landon said, as Bailey was staring at it as though he wanted to rip something apart or cry or both.

Ashley became confused for a moment "Sister? I thought you said you were adopted."

"Adoptive sister. She's still my sister." Bailey snapped.

"Oh, jeez… Sorry I spoke." She said, being taken back by his attitude.

The five sat in silence before the door opened and Ross waltzed in "Hey guys." He said.

"Hey." They all said.

"Can you tell us why you rounded the five of us in here now?" Ryan asked.

Ross didn't say a word, he just kept pacing until he found the correct words to use to say what he wanted to "We have a problem. A kinda dangerous problem that nobody else can take care of and know about 'cause after the whole Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey mess I don't want everyone in the base going into panic mode again." He explained.

The five then became confused as to why he had come to them with the problem for as there wasn't really much they could do. Especially since they didn't even know what this "dangerous problem" was.

Ross grinned at them:

"And you guys are the perfect five for it."

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life  
You've been working every day and night  
That's how a superhero learns to fly  
(Every day, every hour  
Turn the pain into power)_

Ross was in what was now his new room as he, Rocky, Samara, Phil and Caspar had gotten new ones after they became the bosses of the base.

It was night time so he was in bed getting ready to go to sleep when he got up to turn off the light in the room. As he was going to, he knocked something off the table next to his bed and it rolled underneath his bed. He sighed and got onto the floor, going underneath to pick whatever it was back up.

He was on the floor reaching for it when he felt his hand come into contact with a box. He pulled it out, seeing it was only small, and put it on top of his bed before getting what fell off his nightstand which was an empty bottle.

After Ross threw the empty bottle into the bin, he sat on the bed next to the box and opened it up, which revealed to be full of random crap and photos.

The first thing he pulled out was a book – the book Rydel wrote and gave to him after the zombie apocalypse happened, which he admits he never read. He didn't need to. Plus the book was Brad's to start with 'cause his adoptive Mom gave him it at the time as she believed he needed to improve his vocabulary as it was terrible in which Brad argued that reading wasn't a way to improve your vocabulary. Or something like that. All Ross remembers from that day is telling Ashton about the zombie apocalypse happening, Brad getting the book, going home in the attempt to find Rydel (who was never there) and Luke and Ashton getting exposed to himself, Rocky and Brad – although, he says 'exposed', it was more of a confirmation that they were together due to the fact that the three boys weren't stupid and could see it a mile off.

Anybody could really.

The next thing he pulled out was the bandana his Mom sent to him before the five boys were due to go over to Afghanistan – but they all never went due to Ross taking their names off the list to go – but he ended up giving the bandana to Brad as he didn't want it. He still doesn't remember how he got it back off him.

Next he picked up the pictures that were in the box and looked through them.

The first picture he picked up was of him and Samara at some party that was threw when they had time off about a year ago. He smiled a little at the picture, thinking about all the times she had to put up with his shit in the hospital unit. AKA him getting a patient he didn't want to deal with and sending them to her.

Sometimes Ross wonders how he still had a job with the amount of times he did that. More to the point he wonders how it didn't get back to Will, Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey when they were around and in charge. They would have most certainly killed him and fired him.

He put the photo of Samara down and picked up the next one which was of himself, Caspar and Joe.

From the moment Ross started working at the base he was never close with Caspar. He doesn't know why. It's probably because they never had anything in common with one another or ever worked close together – it was the situation with Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey that made them closer, heck it made everyone closer to one another. It made Luke and Ashton closer and Ross didn't even think that was possible.

Sometimes Ross felt sorry for Caspar as he could feel and sense that Caspar didn't feel like he was important to anything that had happened over the last few years as well as the Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey situation. But to be honest, if it wasn't for Caspar, the plane with Brad and the warhead on would have exploded before Ross, Brad and Joe got the chance to disappear and escape death.

Everyone had their own part to play in saving the world, and that was Caspar's – and it was one of the most important roles.

As for Joe, Ross always talked and got along with him, but he's never known much about him as he's always been a very secretive and to himself person. He never opened up about anything – but after he left and went back home, Phil kindly told Ross everything about him which then he understood why Joe was the way he was.

Ross would probably be that way too if all of what happened to Joe happened to him.

The next photo he pulled out was of him and Dan.

Dan… He's always been there and never left. You could always guarantee when walking into a crowded room here, at the base, he would be there. Or you'd find him hiding in his lab or in his room away from everyone, claiming how he hated everyone. But truth be told he loved and cared a hell of a lot for everyone, just like they did them. It's just the type of person Dan is. He says he hates you or a certain person when really, he thinks the world of you and would do anything to protect and make you happy.

Throughout the years he'd always been a little bit mysterious, but not the 'you should be scared' kind of mysterious. He's just always had that about him.

And when Dan finally opened up to Ross about how he used to have a friend called Phil – back when they were hiding from Brad because he was trying to kill Ross – it kind of all started to make sense. Once Dan and Phil were reunited, when Phil had remembered who Dan was, he seen a spark of happiness in Dan that had been missing since the day Ross met him. And he finally got it back.

Ross was glad he got to see Dan get his happiness back before he died – it was something he'd been waiting to see for a long time. He thought that maybe Samara would be able to bring that happiness back, and she did a little, but Phil brought it back completely and Dan was back to the person who he was before Phil left the base.

Happy, care-free, loving, smiley, a pro-procrastinator and a sarcastic little bitch.

But hey, everyone's a little sarcastic around here.

Ross swears everyone picked it up from Brad after he arrived. Everyone was fine and then when Brad came along everyone developed a sassy and sarcastic attitude.

It's definitely weird for Ross to not have Dan around anymore. Truth be told, he's still getting used to it. He was one of those people that Ross thought would never leave permanently, and he did. Everyone thought that they would be gone before Dan would, and they were broken and very upset to learn of his death. A lot of people cared for Dan more than he thought did.

Dan Howell was, and still is, one of the most tragic deaths to have happened in this place. And he would be missed dearly by a lot of people.

Ross put the photo of Dan down, next to the one of Samara and the one of Joe and Caspar, and picked up the next photo in the box which was of none other than Luke Hemmings and Ashton Irwin.

When Ross first met Luke he was really quiet and tiny – but that soon went away as the years went on and he turned into this whole new person that was more confident in himself and less quiet than he was when he first got here. He wouldn't speak to anybody but Ashton, hardly. It was like trying to draw blood from a rock trying to get a conversation out of him. But in all fairness he was only about fifteen/sixteen and had come all the way from Sydney, Australia by himself without a clue as to what to expect when he got to the base. Just like everybody else.

Luke was the baby of the group as he was the youngest, but you would never have thought that. You would have thought Brad was due to his height and the way everyone treat him – but everyone had their own reasons for treating Brad the way they did.

As for Ashton, he's always been kind of the same since Ross met him – still nice, caring… but with a little more bravery and attitude 'cause he never was too brave when he first met him, he was always scared to do something new and take a risk.

Although upon first meeting Rocky, Ashton did punch him to the ground and pretty much made him cry. So Ross gives him brownie points and a gold medal for that.

But over the years Ashton's anxiousness and fear went away – sometimes Ross doesn't know if it was because he had to get rid of it due to the circumstances they were put under or because he chose to. Or if it just naturally happened.

When Ross first meet/seen Luke and Ashton together, he did see something. At first he thought it was just a really strong friendship they had – which was true, they did have that – but as time went on slowly, he started to question if it really was friendship and obviously it wasn't. But whatever. He didn't and still doesn't care.

But he cared when Ashton died 'cause he seen a part of Luke die also as well as a change…And he doesn't know what it was but he wasn't getting a good vibe from it. And the fact that Ross hasn't heard from Luke in almost two months scares him to death.

He just hopes Ashton's up there watching over him and making sure he's okay.

On a lighter note with their relationship, it had its comical moments. And by comical moments Ross means when he, Brad and Rocky each found out individually that they were dating. They already knew as Luke and Ashton weren't very subtle, but when they each got their confirmation about it, it was great.

And Brad's reaction was the most hilarious reaction of all – Ross still remembers Brad running into their room, looking traumatised after walking in on them. That's how Brad got his confirmation.

They weren't bothered by it (Luke and Ashton dating) but Rocky on the other hand… He wasn't bothered by it either, he just liked making comments towards them both as well as whinding them up. 'Cause it's what he does best.

Rocky.

Rocky, Rocky, Rocky.

Ross isn't going to lie. He is a gigantic pain in the ass.

And he was a bigger one before they started working here and when Ross first started. But that thankfully died down and all everyone got from him was sarcastic remarks, sly comments and the odd time where he'd make fun of you. He still does now.

But that was what made, and makes, him, him.

Everyone can put up with it and has learned to.

And even though it may not have seemed like it with all his comments and the way he treat Luke and Ashton, he did love them both to death. In fact, they were probably his favourite two people in the entirety of the base – even more than Ross, and he's his brother for crying out loud. If anything it was Rocky's way of showing that he cared. It's a funny way of doing so, but if you haven't noticed, Rocky Lynch does not like expression his emotions and love for people in a sappy and emotional way.

Unless he has to.

Unless it absolutely comes down to it and the world depends on it.

He doesn't know why but Rocky just doesn't like being sappy and emotional unlike others.

Ross put the picture of him and Rocky down and picked up one of the last pictures in the box which was of him and Brad.

Brad was an interesting character when everyone first met him. Ross was being trained at the time of Brad's arrival and if back then went any differently, he would be dead. And it would only be Ross, Rocky, Ashton and Luke.

Of course Brad would've came later on due to Luke and Ashton but still, he would have died if it wasn't for Ross stopping Priscilla, Maxwell and Harvey from making the decision to kill him.

Why may you ask?

Well, Brad was in America with a friend at the time and he ended up in Utah with him – long story short, base were on patrol, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he ended up being arrested. Ross doesn't know what happened to his friend, he just assumes he got away and ran back to England. Brad never really talked about him, the most he said to Ross was that he was a friend he came here with and he never seen him again after that day.

Maybe it was for the best.

He was such a horrible person back then, if not almost evil, but thankfully that all went away quickly once he had met Ross as well as everyone else. Clearly whoever he was surrounded by in the UK were not nice people or good influences. And Ross will never know the reason for the way Brad was back then.

And neither will anybody else.

If anything, out of everyone who has died or left the base, for Ross not having Brad around anymore is the weirdest for him. Yeah, it's weird not having Will, Dan, Ashton and Joe around anymore but with Brad he was the last person he seen on a night and the first person he seen on a morning due to them both sharing a room. He was always there no matter where he turned or went.

As weird and as cliché as this is going to sound, Brad was literally Ross' other half. Not in a romantic way, no matter how much Will wound them both up and pleaded for it to happen. Yeah Ross loved Brad and everything but not like that, he was like another brother to him. A big little brother. Big because Brad's older and little because he's the size of a munchkin compared to Ross and everybody else.

With him gone, Ross feels like he has nobody at the base to turn to anymore. Yes, Rocky, Phil, Samara and Caspar are there but that's not the same. Nothing will ever be the same. Ross will never have another Brad and nobody will ever be able to replace him.

Luke was a close second but now even he's gone and Ross doesn't even know if he's okay or alive anymore which makes Ross worried for if Brad's still alive and okay.

Ross would quite literally die inside if anything happened to them both.

He really hopes and prays that the pair of them are okay and the reason why Ross hasn't heard anything from either of them is because Luke is that focused on looking after Brad to make sure he recovers or that the pair have finally got their lives back on track.

But you know when you get that feeling that something isn't right and you start to get worried and no matter what you think or do, it just won't go away? You know something bad has happened but you don't know what.

Yeah.

Ross sighed and put all the pictures he had picked out of everyone together before looking back into the box one last time where there was another photo. He smiled at it and picked it up.

He put all the other photos to one side, deciding to find a place for them later, and put the box back under his bed before finding some bluetact or something sticky. Once he had found some, he put it on the back of the picture he had found and stuck it on the wall – he'd find something to frame it with later as well as the other photos.

It was a photo of himself, Brad, Rocky, Luke and Ashton from Rocky's birthday which was such a good night. Probably the best they've ever had if Ross is being honest.

And also the night Brad was conceived.

Not that he wanted to remember or have that image in his head.

Again.

To Ross, the place doesn't feel the same without the five of them being together, or having Will there with them, always behind them and showing up randomly when it looked like they were about to do something stupid. And nor will it ever be the same.

The early days when they had all first met were by far the best. Mainly because they had no problems or responsibilities and weren't aware of the dangers that were going on around them.

But then everything started to get more complicated when the scientists decided to make zombies, Luke decided to get Ashton pregnant and from there on out everything just went downhill.

Sometimes he wonders what would have happened if Ross said no when Rocky asked him to come work here. Would he have been better off or worse?

But when he came here and found Luke, Ashton, Brad, Dan, Joe, Caspar and Samara, it was like it all filled a void in his life that was missing and he felt better.

Like he was finally complete.

But you know what they say, nothing lasts forever and everything must come to an end at some point or another.

Ross stared up at the photo from where he laid in bed, letting a small smile creep up on his face – but then it turned into a small frown.

He just wishes this could have lasted a bit longer.

 _When you've been fighting for it all your life_

 _You've been struggling to make things right_

 _That's how a superhero learns to fly_


End file.
